Failures in Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy: A Review

Operator variables in hypnotherapy.

“…Given these considerations, it is apparent that successful hypnotherapists must have personal qualities that do not result in their sidestep-ping the use of hypnotic techniques. Although hypnosis can be highly successful, it also can result in failure (Lazar & Dempster, 1981). Hence, hypnotherapists must have sufficient confidence in their ability to tolerate the failures that may occur.…”

“…Other kinds of countertransference may have their roots in unresolved dependency needs, unconscious conflicts about aggression, and need for control (Gruenewald, 1971). Because hypnosis works rapidly, both successes and failures may be dramatic (Lazar & Dempster, 1981). For example, a man with severe itching secondary to liver cancer but exacerbated by family stress responded within seconds to hypnotic suggestions for imagery of "coolness"; the itching abated for the first time in several months.…”

Applied psychological hypnosis: Management of problematic situations.

“…Failures include cases in which hypnotic procedures are ineffective in producing the desired therapeutic goal. This may occur because of errors of professional judgment, mistakes in hypnotic technique (Gruenewald, 1981), or a mismatch between client variables and treatment modality (Lazar & Dempster, 1981). For example, an insufficient evaluation of precipitating or maintaining factors may fail to reveal the occurrence of symptom substitution (Cedercreutz, 1972) or the presence of secondary gain that results in a resistance to change (Lazar & Dempster, 1981).…”

“…This may occur because of errors of professional judgment, mistakes in hypnotic technique (Gruenewald, 1981), or a mismatch between client variables and treatment modality (Lazar & Dempster, 1981). For example, an insufficient evaluation of precipitating or maintaining factors may fail to reveal the occurrence of symptom substitution (Cedercreutz, 1972) or the presence of secondary gain that results in a resistance to change (Lazar & Dempster, 1981). Even in cases in which hypnotic procedures are typically effective, therapeutic failures may result if the treatment does not match the client's current needs (Frankel, 1976).…”

Hypnosis in the Criminal Case: Facts and Fallacies

“…Fo r exam p le, hy pnosis may precipitate or exacerbate ex isting psych opathol ogy, a nd ma y resu lt in sudden p a n ic reactions or substitute sym p-tom formations. Several cases have been reported in whi ch a subject fa iled to awaken from the trance state, apparently in situations where th e h ypnot ist was antagonistic or indicated b y his behavior that the subject's best interests were not his primary concern (14).…”