Hypnosis for entertainment or therapy: What's the difference

When you think of hypnotherapy, there are high chances that the hypnotists on stage come to mind. Do you think of all those people running around like chickens or being forced to do embarrassing acts that they would never imagine themselves doing?

Hypnosis for entertainment is nothing like hypnotherapy to help cure ailments and deal with mental health issues. The two are worlds apart, but the former gives the latter a bad name. It’s important to understand the difference between the two, so you get the right treatment for you.

You’re Back in the Room: Entertainment for the masses

ITV released its new game show last month called You’re Back in the Room. The show involves a hypnotist, who gets willing contestants to perform various tasks while hypnotised. The aim is for them to win a prize. It has brought up the debate over whether it is something that hypnosis should be used for.

Hypnosis for entertainment is just as it sounds. It is designed to make people work. The whole idea is to get people to act out embarrassing acts, with the aim to entertain viewers. Hypnotists are really in it to make money. They want to entertain and put on shows. Some people make it to TV, while others travel the country with their own shows. This very different goal affects the way that hypnosis is used on individuals.

Hypnotherapy to help treat people

It is important to make the point of the differences. One of those is the terms used. Hypnosis is normally used for entertainment. When it comes to treat people, hypnotherapy is the term normally used. The word therapy makes it very clear that the idea is to help people.

The trained hypnotherapists want to help individuals. It could be to cure an addiction, get over a traumatic event or lose weight. There are so many problems and issues that this type of therapy can help with, and it is used with many other forms of treatment.

Hypnotherapists don’t just put you into a deep sleep. It’s not magic to make you think or act different. There are tools and techniques and the professionals teach their patients these tools and techniques. Eventually, people are able to drop the number of sessions they have and can even manage it all from the comfort of their own home.

Hypnotherapy takes time to take effect

When patients turn to professionals to help with their ailments, hypnotherapy doesn’t happen overnight. It’s not a case of a click of the fingers and you’re a different person. This is something that hypnosis can offer but is more for entertainment.

Hypnotherapy takes time. The aim is to offer the long-term help, rather than the short-term quick fix. It isn’t about just getting over your fears overnight or dealing with your addiction in one session. Remember there is that “therapy” part. The aim is to help you handle the issues without the constant reliance on hypnosis. Patients can eventually take the tools gained through the sessions and use them in everyday life; no click of the fingers necessary.

This long-term help can aid with self-esteem, self-confidence and much more. It is important for healing and support.

There is a similarity between the two

While there are plenty of differences between hypnotherapy and hypnosis for entertainment, there is one similarity. The two methods both work by connecting to your subconscious. They both communicate with the part of the brain that you don’t realise is working, and this can affect your memories, feelings and emotions.

It can work positively or negatively. As mentioned, hypnotists use this tool for entertainment purposes. A hypnotherapist will use it to help you change the way you think about a situation. One can also help you remember events that have happened to understand reasons behind certain behaviours.

Overall, hypnosis and hypnotherapy come across as the same thing but there are some major differences. Hypnotherapy is designed to help overcome problems and issues, while hypnosis for entertainment is a quick way to make people laugh. This is something to think about when looking into different treatment options.