The risks of hypnosis are few and far between...as long as its used properly.

For example, let's say you have a tooth cavity.

You can use hypnosis to stop the pain and it works wonders, but the risk is that, because you aren't feeling any pain, you won't know when to go to the dentist.

Hypnosis can't fill your cavity for you...I'm sure you knew that ;-)

Another thing to consider, just like any medication, is to never use a prerecorded session designed to let you relax, and wind down while driving or operating machinery.

Studies have shown that driving while you are tired is worse than driving drunk.

So, because you enter into the theta state during hypnosis, the state right before sleep, you don't want to drive around listening to your hypnosis CD and end up having a wreck.

So, that becomes one more "risk" of hypnosis.

Now, so far, these risks aren't really about hypnosis itself, but when to use it and what you use it for.

It's really not scary. As long as you use common sense in your hypnosis session, you'll be fine.