Each month I receive interesting Emails about hypnosis. It is typically students gathering research
for a paper or class assignment. Or people
who want to learn about the practice of self-hypnosis for health, wellness or
confidence.
Yet, ever once in awhile a rather off beat query arrives
in my Inbox. The most recent being a
note from someone who wanted to learn about the use of hypnosis by con artists
and criminals. They included a link to
this article published in 2012 in the Boston Globe:
I elected not to reply to that inquiry, yet it got me
thinking this is a topic worth addressing on the Hypnotic Experience blog. Is it possible? Can a hypnotist compel a person to hand over money
and valuables?
The answer is absolutely not!
Hypnosis is an altered state of consciousness in which
a person chooses to become open to positive suggestions. The key word here is “choice.” All of hypnosis is self-hypnosis. It is based on consent. Plus, a person would never do anything under
hypnosis they normally would not do.
What about the charlatans in Boston who made away with
$160,000? I don’t know the specifics of
the case, yet I suspect it was some sort of scam or con that influenced the victim.
You can read more about the legitimacy of hypnosis in
crime in this interesting article published by Vice in 2017:
