Does Hypnosis For Alcohol Addiction Work?

You might have an understanding of hypnosis based on what you’ve seen on TV shows. It’s where the hypnotist can dangle a watch on someone’s face, and apparently, the person loses control of their mind and is controlled fully by the hypnotist.

That’s far from the truth. No hypnotist can control someone’s mind, and a person cannot be forced to do anything against their will. The practice of hypnosis is deeply relaxing and can make a person feel at peace, which can help with addiction treatment.

How To Identify Alcohol Addiction

Drinking alcohol becomes an addiction when an individual becomes fixated on it to the point that they start to neglect their life. Depending on its severity, alcohol addiction can jeopardise a person’s physical health, emotional well-being, finances, career, or social relationships. 

This situation happens because the urge or dependence towards alcohol can make a person reprioritise their life around drinking. The desire can be so intense that it can become easier for them to disregard the negative repercussions that their drinking habits are having.

Signs And Symptoms Of Alcoholism

Knowing that alcoholism runs on a spectrum, it can become blurry to tell whether someone has problems with alcohol. On top of that, people who misuse alcohol tend to rationalise why their alcohol use is not problematic. To know whether someone’s alcohol consumption warrants a warning, here are the signs to look for.

The first warning sign is that the individual starts to consume an increasing amount of alcohol as time progresses. This scenario may be a good sign that the person uses it to self-medicate emotions.

The second sign is that they have multiple failed attempts at sobriety. They may start to notice that alcohol misuse is having adverse effects on their life, so they would try to stop. However, this can be unsuccessful because alcohol may have already imbalanced the brain in a way that makes them crave it.

Another good sign is that the individual spends a lot of time thinking about alcohol. This fixation can steal away quality time that could have been spent on their work or their loved ones. They may also begin to sacrifice a significant portion of their budget on alcohol, sacrificing funds for their family or business.

How Can Hypnosis Help Stop Drinking?

Hypnosis has shown some effectiveness in helping people become sober, especially when paired with other effective interventions. However, how it works is not fully understood. Experts have some explanations, but no one has a comprehensive understanding yet.

The best explanation is that hypnosis creates a highly suggestive state that is instilled in a person, making them strongly open to the belief that they are capable of overcoming their alcohol misuse.

How Does Hypnosis Work?

Hypnosis works by putting the client in a meditative state. This state of mind allows the individual to become more focused internally and less distracted by the outside world. In this headspace, their minds are more open to believing and following the hypnotist’s suggestions. 

The hypnotherapist would start by helping the client achieve relaxation and enter a meditative state. They would then instil several beliefs through suggestions that can help them overcome their alcohol misuse. After that, they would gently bring back the client to normal consciousness.

It’s important to understand that people generally have a misconception of what hypnosis is. That’s mainly because hypnotists on television, who are generally stage hypnotists, usually present the practice that makes it seem like they’re controlling the minds of their volunteers. This is different from hypnotherapists, who are trained to use hypnosis in the clinical setting. 

What Is The Difference Between Self-Hypnosis And Clinical Hypnotherapy?

Self-hypnosis happens when an individual hypnotizes himself with an end goal in mind. Most clinically trained hypnotherapists will say that all hypnosis is self-hypnosis because a client cannot be forced into hypnosis against their will. In any therapy room, the client who is undergoing hypnosis is an active participant. 

Clinical hypnosis, on the other hand, is a hypnotic practice where an expert guides the individual through specific therapeutic goals that are identified in the assessment at the start of the process. 

Both of these approaches can be effective with alcohol addiction, but there’s a slight difference between them.

Self-Hypnosis

Most people are capable of hypnotising themselves. They can do so by inducing a meditative state and suggesting ideas to themselves where they can overcome their maladaptive desire for alcohol. This can usually be taught to them by their hypnotherapist.

In clinical hypnotherapy, the therapist would usually teach the client how to practice hypnosis by themselves. This knowledge gives them the mental power that they can use on alcohol addiction or some psychological problems they might be having. 

Additionally, some individuals practice self-hypnosis without the personal guidance of a licensed therapist and only rely on educational resources online. 

This approach can be practical, especially if the individual is knowledgeable about what goes into alcohol addiction and the self-awareness regarding the obstacles they have from sobriety. However, if they are lacking in this department, it’s better to have guidance from an experienced expert.

Moreover, self-hypnosis can be harmful as they might be treading waters they’re not familiar with. That is especially true for people who are predisposed to psychosis or have mental health disorders like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.

Clinical Hypnotherapy

In clinical hypnotherapy, the individual is guided by hypnotherapists who have prepared scripts and suggestions to help them overcome alcohol addiction.

Compared to self-hypnosis, the benefit of clinical hypnotherapy is that the client receives individualised help from a third-person perspective. A hypnotherapist can help their clients become aware of their blindspots regarding alcohol addiction and recovering from it.

Moreover, before the hypnotherapy is conducted, the therapist will perform a series of psychological assessments to see if the client is safe when it comes to hypnosis. They will screen whether there’s a possibility of psychosis.

What To Expect During Hypnosis For Alcoholism

If you’re interested in getting a hypnosis for alcohol use disorder, here are the things you should expect.

It’s important to expect that you will stay in control of your mind during hypnosis. You will still be aware of what you’re doing, and you’ll retain the agency to reject the hypnotist’s suggestion if you want to. No hypnotist – even stage hypnotists – can make a person do something against their will. The hypnotist’s goal is to help you recover from alcohol misuse, and the suggestions that they will be giving you are to your benefit. 

At the initial stages of the hypnosis, the hypnotherapist will inquire about your specific goals for alcohol addiction. This phase is also an excellent time to seek help with other areas of concern that may or may not be related to alcohol. You can get help with self-esteem, anxiety, confidence, etc.

During the session, the hypnotherapist will help you relax by leading you through a series of visualisation exercises where your imagination will be stimulated. This approach will help you become more aware of your internal self and momentarily suspend your awareness of the external world. They will then give tailored suggestions based on the initial assessment you had with them to help you achieve your goals.

Once this is over, they gently pull you out of the meditative state and bring you back to a normal consciousness. At this point, you’ll be in a relaxed state, at peace, and sometimes sleepy. This is to be expected, and it’s a good sign that the session is working.

How Long Does A Hypnotherapy Session Last?

Generally speaking, a hypnotherapy session lasts around 30 to 60 minutes. This range exists because some clients take longer to relax and enter a meditative state. Moreover, some tailored suggestions that a hypnotherapist gives take longer than usual.

How Many Sessions Are Needed To Treat Alcoholism?

On average, it might take around six to eight sessions before the hypnotherapy concludes. 

However, it’s essential to understand that hypnotherapy is best used as a complement to other interventions for alcohol use disorder and is rarely endorsed as a standalone treatment for addiction. So, the session might take longer or shorter depending on how those main approaches work.

Is There Any Evidence That Proves Hypnosis Actually Works?

There is good evidence that hypnosis works.

What the evidence suggests is that hypnosis works best as a complementary approach to alcohol addiction intervention, such as detox, therapy, and counselling. However, when hypnosis is only conducted, and those other interventions aren’t, success rates decline.

The Benefits Of Hypnotherapy

The benefit of hypnosis is that it makes a person believe that they are capable of recovering from alcohol abuse. It creates a self-fulfilling prophecy where their beliefs come true. 

The implication of this is that some people do not recover from alcoholism because, deep down, they don’t believe they can do it. So, when people are sceptical about their chances of recovery, instilling suggestions and creating a belief that they can do it makes them more likely to do so.

The Negatives Of Hypnotherapy

The downside of hypnotherapy is that it is dangerous for people who are prone to psychosis. Clinics usually screen out individuals who have schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. So, if you are given access to this type of therapy, it means that you are suited to have it.

However, some people do self-hypnosis at home, and an expert does not personally guide them. What they rely on is a general approach to hypnosis that may not work or may even harm some individuals.

Moreover, some hypnotherapists are not well-trained or oblivious to the ethical concerns of the practice, especially those who claim they are hypnotists, even though they don’t have a certified accreditation. Hypnosis is quickly learned online, especially if you know where to look for it.

They could not perform the hypnosis process well, and the client may not be fully relaxed and anxious during the session, which can do more harm than good. They might also suggest a thought that is good but harmful to the client. False memories may also be suggested to clients, which is why many modern hypnotherapists are cautious or may choose not to conduct regressions into childhood.

That’s why seeking this practice from a trained, experienced, and certified hypnotherapist is crucial.

The Risks Of Hypnosis To Stop Drinking

The main risk of hypnosis for alcoholism is psychosis. This is especially important for people with alcohol use disorder who also abuse other illicit substances. 

Moreover, some cases of alcohol withdrawal can have symptoms of psychosis, especially for those who have a prolonged, severe case. Getting hypnotherapy in this situation is highly discouraged.

How To Choose A Hypnotherapist

Knowing that hypnotherapy can involve mistakes, it’s crucial to find an experienced, certified hypnotherapist that you trust to prevent them. Missteps usually occur only when a practitioner isn’t trained enough or doesn’t understand the practice’s ethical boundaries.

It’s essential to look for their certification or accreditation to know whether you can trust the hypnotherapist.

It’s also a good idea to look for online reviews for people who have had sessions with them. This approach can give you a better understanding of what it’s like to receive hypnotherapy from them. 

How We Can Help With Alcohol Hypnotherapy

While we currently don’t have hypnotherapy available in our centre, we have other holistic interventions for alcohol use disorder that may work just as well. We also have evidence-based treatment options that help our clients overcome their alcohol misuse.

What To Do If You Have A Drinking Problem

If you suspect you might have a drinking problem, it’s essential to seek help from experts. Even though the drinking problem is mild, it is still possible for it to develop into a more serious problem as time progresses. Seek help as soon as possible.