Hypnosis: Contraindications
and risks, honestly

Hypnosis is a powerful tool, but like any tool it is not for absolutely everyone. Below is honest information without the marketing: where the real contraindications are, and where it is just fears from the movies.

What hypnosis actually is

In practice, hypnosis is simply a state of focused attention in which the subconscious is a little more open to change than usual. Consciousness does not go anywhere: in sessions I regularly see clients nod, answer questions and even smile at certain moments.

Many people expect something like sleep or movie-style "zombification"; in reality there is nothing of the kind. You hear every word, remember everything that happened in the session, and can leave the trance at any second if you wish.

Absolute contraindications

Conditions in which hypnotherapy is never performed:

Psychosis and schizophrenia

Active psychotic episodes, hallucinations, delusions. A hypnotic state can intensify symptoms.

Severe depression with suicidal thoughts

Where suicidal ideation is present, urgent psychiatric care is needed, not hypnotherapy.

Severe epilepsy

Deep relaxation and an altered state of consciousness can trigger a seizure.

Intoxication

Alcohol or drug intoxication rules out a session completely.

Relative contraindications

Require prior discussion with a specialist:

⚠Pregnancy (only with a doctor's approval)

⚠Severe cardiac arrhythmias

⚠Some forms of personality disorder

⚠Children under 12 (only with a parent present)

Can hypnosis cause harm?

In short: no, if you work with someone who genuinely understands what they are doing. In years of practice I have not seen hypnosis leave any "traces" in the subconscious or change a person's character. Most often, after a session clients describe a state similar to deep meditation: calm and a light, pleasant tiredness.

Problems happen where someone works without certification and without understanding the ethics of the method. That is why I always recommend checking a specialist's qualifications; it takes a few minutes and protects you from real risks.

Common myths

Myth: «Under hypnosis you can give away secrets»

Fact: False. You decide what to say and what to keep to yourself. It is not a "truth serum" from the movies.

Myth: «Anyone can be hypnotized against their will»

Fact: No, and this is fundamental. Without your consent and willingness, hypnosis simply does not work.

Myth: «You can get stuck in a trance»

Fact: A myth. Trance is a natural state: people come out of it on their own, or at worst simply fall asleep and wake up normally.

Myth: «Hypnosis is the occult»

Fact: Not at all. Hypnotherapy is a recognized psychotherapeutic method studied and used in clinical practice.

Still have questions?

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Certified Master Hypnotherapist · Mykhailo Kolomoitsev

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Hypnosis: Contraindicationsand risks, honestly