Although hypnosis does not directly lead to emotional trauma, it can play a role in the development of false memories. These memories can be of traumatic experiences, such as sexual assault or violence directed at the patient. This is professionals working with individuals who could potentially have repressed memories of childhood abuse are strongly discouraged from using hypnotherapy with their patients – the therapy could cause the patient to assemble recollections of events that did not actually occur, leading to emotional trauma for him or her and false evidence for the patient’s case.
What is Hypnosis?
Hypnosis is a state of consciousness in which the subject has a greater capacity than normal for response to suggestion due to a decreased awareness of his or her environment and a fine-tuned attention to the current moment. At this time, we do not know for sure whether hypnosis is a distinct psychological state or not. There are two competing theories about hypnosis: state hypnosis, which asserts that hypnosis is a specific psychological state and non-state hypnosis, which posits that the effects one experiences while under hypnosis are instead a combination of cognitive, social, and behavioral psychology factors and task-specific subjective strategies for employing them.
Hypnotherapy and Its Uses
Hypnotherapy is the therapeutic use of hypnosis to create subconscious changes to a patient’s feelings, behavior, and thoughts. It is often used to reduce feelings of anxiety in patients, such as pregnant women preparing for birth and individuals struggling with bulimia nervosa. It is also often used to help individuals who are dealing with trauma, such as those with post-traumatic stress disorder.
How Does Hypnotherapy Create False Memories?
When an individual is under hypnosis, he or she is more susceptible to the power of suggestion than he or she is normally. When a therapist uses this technique in an attempt to confront a patient’s repressed memories, he or she might make statements or describe actions in an attempt to pull these memories to the forefront of the patient’s mind, causing the patient to infuse them with his or her actual memories. This can become dangerous if he or she creates false memories of abuse, creating distress over situations that did not actually happen or happened much differently than the patient’s false memories suggest.
Hypnotherapy and Medical Malpractice Claims
The use of hypnosis to recover repressed memories is not supported by any official schools of psychotherapy. If you have experienced emotional trauma or stress from a newly discovered memory resulting from this type of therapy, you may have grounds for a medical malpractice claim. Contact an attorney with experience handling medical malpractice cases to determine if you have grounds for such a claim. If so, he or she can help you build your case and guide you through the process of pursuing monetary compensation. If you choose to take this option, be sure to do so within one year of discovering that malpractice has occurred. This is known as the statute of limitations and if you do not file your claim within the allotted time, you lose the right to seek monetary compensation.
If you have been injured in due to hypnosis, injured at sporting events & shows in Las Vegas, or even injured at a casino, don’t hesitate to contact the Ladah law firm today. We are happy to help you recover compensation for any injuries you have sustained.