FAQ:

Can a hypnotist cause you to do something against your will?

Answer:

Short answer: Not short term.

Longer answer: A hypnotist cannot get a subject to do anything they would refuse to do if they were not under hypnosis in a similar circumstance. This however is not the same as saying they can only get a subject to do what they would agree to do. In fact, it can be quite a bit more.

A hypnotist can also get a subject to consider as true anything that meets the same criteria.

This leads to a circumstance that does allow an unscruplous hypnotist to get a subject to do things that would be against their orginal will. Over time, they can introduce the subject to slightly further pushes against the subject's will, make each one normal, which would then extend the where they can push a subject's actions or thoughts next time.

An example is a hypnotist that in one session suggested that the subject would enjoy getting coffee for him. After a little while for the subject to see that as normal, they put the subject back under and suggest that the subject enjoys doing things for him. The next session he makes the suggestion that they enjoy doing what he asks. After that, it is obeying his commands. Next could be that the subject needs to obey his commands. (This is obviously very speeded up; it would likely take multiple sessions, widely spaced, for the subject to accept each command as normal enough to allow the next.)

The result is that in small stages the unscruplous hypnotist has brought the subject into a state where they believe they need to obey him. If they had given that suggestion at the start, the subject would likely have rebelled, but time and plotting allow a gradual mindset change to occur, which brings the command within something the subject would not reject utterly.

So, a stage hypnotist is not going to get you to do anything against your will. However, before you let someone hypnotise you regularly make sure they are trustworthy.

Back to: HypnoFAQ