Hypnosis?
 

Wondering..... has anyone had any experience with hypnotherapy and addiction? I've been doing a lot of reading, it helps, it doesn't help, it's a placebo...

I say this in a kind way………what has your son been reading regarding his addiction? What does your son think about being hypnotized out of his addiction?

CherryVanilla,

I know nothing of hypnotherapy and addiction unless...........you were to include nicotine addiction.

I have two friends, both of whom had smoked cigarettes and / or cigars daily for very long periods - 30 to 35 years.

They both decided on a whim that they would attend a smoking cessation hypnotherapy session. Reportedly this hypnotist had a wonderful track record with helping people quit using tobacco - cold turkey - once and done.

They went and both quit using as a result. One fellow relapsed after a few months and is back smoking daily. The other has remained a non-smoker for more than 10 years.

The fellow who has remained "clean" admits that he was convinced before he ever went that hypnotherapy would work - if he went, he would stop and stay stopped. The other fellow who relapsed was more skeptical at the outset and his relapse proved him right.

So both individuals proved themselves to be correct - the believer stopped and stayed stopped; the skeptic stopped but then relapsed.

So, the way I interpret these highly unscientific results from a statistically meaningless sample group is ........"It works, if YOU believe it works."

So, if your son believes it will work, it will. Hypnotherapy is nothing but the "power of suggestion" and if your brain is truly ready to adopt those suggestions then it works!

Keep coming back,

Jim

He asked me if I knew if it would be covered by his insurance (yes). If he wants to try, good for him. I was trying to read up on the topic and educate myself.

Thanks Jim. I think one needs to believe in order for it to work, too.

Hi Cherry, I tried it for alcohol addiction and it had absolutely zero effect, but I wasn't impressed at all with the hypnotherapist. He hadn't read my story before the session. He asked me to imagine going down a track which divides; following one path leads to happiness, the other to homelessness, bad health, you get the picture. But I was never that type of A and so they weren't my fears.

Strangely, while under I decided to think about jogging and overcoming the feeling that I wanted to take it easy, even when I was going well. That worked a treat, although I never told the hypnotherapist about it.

I have know people which hypnotherapy has helped. My unqualified advice would be to not target the addiction itself, but focus on self esteem and belief in yourself.

I tried hypnosis to get rid of my social anxiety. Didn't work for me, and I think I really believed it would. I actually asked for my money back immediately after the session, because I was never "under", though the hypnotist insisted I was.

So I think on top of the patient believing , it also takes some real skill on the part of the practitioner in order for it to be effective.

Thanks for the replies. He's chosen not to pursue hypnosis, for many of the reasons you've all cited

I thought about that,too.... How would a lay person assess a therapist's will of hypnosis PRIOR to the appointment. For an internist, surgeon, dentist, psychologist one can ask around among friends etc for recommendations. But I don't know anyone who has been treated with hypnosis who could recommend or advise to avoid a specific provider. Did you get your money back?

Nope! But I'm kind of a pushover. I could have tried a little harder.

I had my doubts about it whether I was really under as well. He did a test to get me to raise my arm (it was supposed to feel heavy) and I did it easily. He denied it was a test to see if I was under, but it was.