stage hypnosis

Throughout history there have been public demonstrations of stage hypnosis, with the presenters often following their shows with private consultations. However, the reputation of hypnotism was eventually compromised by numerous fakes employing crude routines and paid stooges. In the UK, the revival of stage hypnosis was accompanied by a heightened concern about the possible dangers of stage hypnosis, and the 1952 Hypnotism Act was brought in to protect the public from unscrupulous hypnotists. Nowadays the stage hypnosis shows remain popular as both public and corporate entertainment. Film and TV depictions of hypnosis are often grossly inaccurate and can lead to some people developing a fear or distrust of hypnosis. People can be led to believe that the hypnotist can take control of the person being hypnotised, and even make them do something against their will. There is a very big difference between clinical hypnotherapy and stage hypnosis. Whilst the former is a therapeutic process for the benefit of the client, the latter is a performance, a show designed purely to entertain the audience. The people who volunteer as subjects for stage hypnosis, are in effect self-selecting themselves, are happy to lose their inhibitions and be the centre of attention and are willing to go along with the show, whether or not they are actually in a state of hypnosis. It could be reasonably argued that the same results could be obtained under the influence of nothing more than a few glasses of alcoholic refreshment.