In Hypnosis Is There Really a "Sunken Place?"

In November I had the opportunity to speak about and demonstrate hypnosis as an altered state of consciousness to psychology students at Richard Montgomery High School, Sandy Spring Friends School, Clarksburg High School, Sherwood High School, Northwest High School, Our Lady of Good Counsel High School, and Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School.  It was an awesome experience as I had more than 250 students volunteer to try hypnosis.

During my introductory remarks I mention the misconceptions created about hypnosis in movies and television.  One of the films I cite is the 2017 film Get Out, written and directed by Jordan Peele.

While the hypnotic induction is compelling and realistic, the ability to compel someone to act against their beliefs (i.e. The Sunken Place) is not.  Here is a link to a blog post I published in March 2017 that explores the use of hypnosis as a critical dramatic element in the film:

How Real is the Hypnosis Scene in the Movie Get Out

I’ve included below a video of Get Out’s hypnosis, along with the actual script from the movie.  Take a few minutes to watch the video.  Do you think hypnosis could ever take a person to the Sunken Place?

How Real is the Hypnosis Scene in the Movie Get Out?

Hypnosis in Get Out - accurate or flawed?

The depiction of hypnosis in movies and television is typically comical and hopelessly flawed.  It creates the impression the practice of visualization is about ceding control and free will, rather than its true objective which is empowerment.

Consider the 1994 movie the Shadow.  A master criminal uses hypnosis to induce the heroine to attempt to commit murder.  Here’s a link to a YouTube clip.

The recently released Get Out has hypnosis woven into the story line.  Although I have yet to see the film, I’ve read the hypnotic induction method employed by the actress is factual. 

 

Here is a link to a Q&A with psychiatrist Paul Puri published by Yahoo Movies.  Puri does a nice job to explain what is true (and inaccurate) about how hypnosis is portrayed.