This article considers the definition of hypnosis in sight of psychology and ethics, its moral aspects, principles and appropriateness of use in life.
We have heard about hypnosis for many times. Which associations does society have regarding this word? After small research I have figured the list of words people think of when hear this word: trance, soothsayer, magic, inculcation, sect, manipulation, sleep, influence etc. Here we can see that for some it associates with different sects, which are trying to attract as many followers as possible and in further to get money from them for maintaining their organization.
For others it is the way to manipulate a person for satisfying of own interests and wishes. There aren’t any laudatory feedbacks. Everybody finds it amoral and dangerous. However, there’s no surprise about such situation. TV often shows hypnosis as something that is used for venal actions and majority of people are agree with this.
Never the less what is hypnosis? The definition sounds next way:
Hypnosis is a temporary state of consciousness, which characterizes by its narrowing and sharp focus on something that is related with change of individual control and self-consciousness. In other words person stays highly responsive to suggestion and direction. Accompanying characteristics of hypnosis are extremely powerful influence and possibility to forget about the fact of hypnosis.
In the history of hypnosis can also see a different attitude. If the ancient peoples it caused the seizure, in the Middle Ages it caused fear his followers burned. Nowadays, there are also the same options completely opposite perception of the phenomenon.
But it would be desirable to tell about hypnosis from other point of view. From the point of view of psychology and medicine.
In psychology, hypnosis is used as a method of psychotherapy for treatment of psychological problems and in medicine as a method to treat problems with health. The range of problems is wide: starting of depression, finishing with indigestion. Does hypnosis really helps with this? Regarding lots of researches, which were provided to clarify that, we can definitely say – yes! Now it becomes more and more widespread as recommended method to treat clients.
Why hypnosis is so effective? Because in state of hypnosis person is more receptive to new ideas, it affords to deal more efficiently with emotions, feelings, intentions and motivation.
What about moral side of the question?
There are many immoral uses of hypnosis. Some are mentioned above. You can bring some more – is the use of hypnosis policies to increase the audience of supporters; the use of hypnosis in advertisements to improve the sale of goods; charlatans use hypnosis to introduce people into error, and subsequently benefit from it, etc.
Because hypnosis can use only high-qualified medicines with high moral values. It will defend you of risk and threat to be damaged. Generally, the use of hypnosis professionals, experts in their work, guided by all the rules and codes, is already talking about appropriate use of hypnosis.
But there are exceptions. Sometimes, the use of hypnosis caused only good intentions, to help people fix something and can be applied without the consent of the client, with the idea that it will help if so it will be better. Certainly hypnosis can be provided only with personal agreement of client.
Another condition is the use of hypnosis – again, even if the client agreed to use hypnosis to apply it only to correct the problems that the customer wants to fix. If we see many problems that need to be corrected and we could do it, but the client is not expressed this desire, we don’t have that right. You can bring about this example. When a person comes to the dentist to treat teeth, he only treats her teeth, not fear of height or weight, even if it is hypnosis skills. So in the case of a psychologist. It should only help solve the customer’s request and doesn’t affect other aspects.
All these principles are mentioned in Codex of psychologist and Hippocratic Oath.
