Dangers of Hypnosis

West, Louis Jolyon; Deckert, Gordon H.

doi:10.1001/jama.1965.03080140015003

Cited by 32 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…For example, West and Dekert (1965) cite a few cases in which hypnosis allegedly intensified schizophrenic symptomatology. However, even in these cases, without comparison data on the intensification of symptomatology following other therapeutic interventions, and more mundane events, this amounts to no more than post hoc ergo propter hoc theorizing.…”

Section: Is Hypnosis Likely To Cause Schizophrenia?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Can hypnosis cause madness?

Wagstaff

2000

Contemporary Hypnosis

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Recent controversy about the dangers of hypnosis came to a head in the summer of 1998 with the High Court trial in London of a stage hypnotist for allegedly inducing schizophrenia in one of his participants. In this paper a number of issues arising from the case are critically examined; included are the propositions put forward by the prosecution that the hypnotic state is similar, psychologically and neurophysiologically, to that of schizophrenia, and thereby, because of its very nature, hypnosis can increase vulnerability to psychotic illness and other forms of psychological damage; inadequate dehypnosis may lead to a person remaining in a pathological state; and a series of fairly routine stage hypnosis suggestions can act as a trigger for a schizophrenic reaction in certain individuals. It is concluded that hypnosis procedures must always be applied with due caution and regard to the rights of participants, but that there is no substantive scientific evidence to support any special link between hypnosis and the triggering of episodes of schizophrenia.

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Section: Is Hypnosis Likely To Cause Schizophrenia?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Can hypnosis cause madness?

Wagstaff

2000

Contemporary Hypnosis

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“…Of interest is that 43% of the psychologists and psychiatrists in that sample reported complications. West and Deckert (1965) also noted that hypnosis might precipitate or exacerbate existing psychopathology. Other difficulties that may occur with the use of hypnosis include sudden panic reactions, difficulty in waking, substitute symptom formation, and traumatic insight (Meares, 1961).…”

Section: Please Scroll Down For Articlementioning

confidence: 99%

Failures in Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy: A Review

Lazar

Dempster

1981

American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis

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“…A relatively recent review of the literature of hypnosis and depression (Burrows, 1980) concludes that severe depression is a definite contraindication to hypnosis. Supposedly, this is because depressed patients can become worse, even suicidal, when the somatic expression of depression is removed by hypnosis (Waxman, 1978;West & Deckert, 1965). Certainly, the suicidal patient deserves and requires the most sensitive and careful handling, but there is no evidence whatsoever that hypnosis in itself increases the likelihood of a suicide attempt (Clarke & Jackson, 1983).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Hypnotic Treatment of Depression

Rubaie¹

1999

Complementary Health Practice Review

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Dangers of Hypnosis

Cited by 32 publications

References 9 publications

Can hypnosis cause madness?

Can hypnosis cause madness?

Failures in Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy: A Review

The Hypnotic Treatment of Depression

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