Ethics of Stage Hypnosis
Stage hypnosis is also commonly referred to as comedy hypnosis. Participants are volunteers and they enter the scenario knowing that they will be asked to perform silly tasks for entertainment purposes. Before stage hypnosis begins, many people are looking around nervously and afraid of being judged, but once the performer relaxes the on stage crowd, inhibitions are let down. Participants are in control of their actions, but they no longer care about others think of them they will dance on stage if that is suggested to them.
Some people may argue that the acts that are performed on stage are embarrassing and demeaning and this could be categorised as totally unethical. This position is taken by many people because they are also concerned that this type of hypnosis is not carried out by professional medical personal, but by entertainers that may usually are not familiar with the potential risks involved with tapping into the subconscious mind. In addition, sensitive and personal information may be revealed to total strangers while under a trance during stage hypnosis. This is not mind control, as is often claimed, but the actions of a person who no longer feels the usual inhibitions usually associated in social contact.
There is always a risk involved with stage hypnosis especially when a trigger word is used to cause the participants to go into trance. There is the possibility that the trigger word will remain in the subconscious long after the stage hypnosis performance if the hypnotist does not take proper care with his/her language. This has potential negative effects on the subject, but more over, the means of performance often trivialises hypnosis in the eyes of the public, which might mean those who would benefit from its clinical applications will not seek it out.
