Hypnosis For Addiction: How It Works, Examples, & Effectiveness

What Is Hypnotherapy?

Hypnotherapy relies on a model of the mind that includes conscious and subconscious aspects, both serving different functions to help people navigate daily life.¹ The concepts of these two categories of mind serve as valuable tools in eliciting positive changes.

Conscious Mind

The conscious mind can be likened to a laser pointer. It focuses on whatever you are paying attention to at any given moment. This focus includes experiences of all kinds, such as sights, sounds, thoughts, activities, and tasks. However, the conscious mind is also limited in range. Generally speaking, a person can be consciously aware of only a few things at a time.²

Subconscious Mind

The subconscious mind contains our memories, beliefs, habitual patterns, and past learnings. In the case of dependence and addiction, a learned behavior, such as drinking alcohol, fixates in the subconscious. Even when a person consciously understands that the behavior has become unhealthy and has decided to change, it can be challenging to break free of the addictive pattern.

In the state of hypnosis—when the subconscious mind is more active and accessible—the hypnotherapist can help a person unlearn the old behavior. Dependent behaviors can be reprogrammed into more positive ones through relaxation, guided imagery, positive hypnotic suggestions, and other methods.

Hypnosis for Symptoms of Addiction

It can be difficult for a person in the grips of dependence to admit to themselves or others that they have a problem. Recognizing that there is an issue and that they need help is the first step toward positive change. Dependence is deeply connected with subconscious causes and motivations, making hypnosis for addiction an effective solution for people experiencing the effects of substance misuse and other addictive behaviors.

Symptoms of addiction may include:

• Inability to stop a behavior despite negative consequences
• Cravings and mental obsessions
• Needing increasing quantities of a substance to achieve the desired effect
• Social isolation
• Taking unnecessary risks
• Experiencing legal and financial trouble because of the behavior
• Withdrawal symptoms
• Loss of appetite
• Sleeplessness
• Difficulty in relationships because of the behavior

How Can Hypnotherapy Help Someone With Addiction?

Many people struggling with addiction or dependence may have already attempted other treatments before trying hypnotherapy. This pattern can lead to discouragement, frustration, and even hopelessness. However, hypnotherapy increases a person’s chance of success by addressing some contributing factors to dependence, including low self-esteem and emotional trauma, as well as resolving conflicts between conscious and subconscious motivations.

Self-Esteem

Low self-esteem may increase the chances of a person becoming dependent on a substance or behavior. In addition, many people who abuse substances or engage in compulsive behaviors report shame and guilt, further contributing to decreased self-esteem.

During hypnotherapy, the therapist will help the person improve their self-esteem, self-perception, and value of themselves. Some methods to achieve these benefits may include hypnotic suggestions, daily journaling, and positive affirmations.

Trauma

Traumatic experiences can majorly contribute to dependence. In the case of a person in remission or recovery, trauma, and PTSD can also increase the chances of drug or alcohol relapse.

For example, a 2007 study showed that war veterans diagnosed with PTSD or trauma exposure and substance use disorders (SUD) were more likely to experience increased symptoms and a greater risk of relapse than those without PTSD.³

Traumatic memories may resurface during hypnotherapy, and a skilled hypnotherapist will spend time working on those issues. By lessening the intensity of trauma and PTSD symptoms, the chances of addiction recovery increase.⁴

Conscious & Subconscious Motivations

Conscious and subconscious motivations may differ. For example, a person who has made the conscious decision to stop their dependent behavior may continue to make choices that undermine that goal, possibly due to subconscious motivations.

Subconscious motivations are often related to the desire to meet basic needs for well-being, comfort, pleasure, and safety. A conflict arises when an attempt is made to change the behavior that has met those needs in the past without providing a viable alternative. The hypnotherapist can help the person identify these unconscious motivations and find healthy alternatives to meeting those needs.

Example of Hypnosis for Addiction

During hypnosis treatment for addiction, a person may be asked about their past and current experience with dependence. The therapist and client may then identify triggering external situations, physical and emotional symptoms, and goals for treatment. They may explore mental images, inner dialogs, looping thoughts, and cravings that impend or prolong an episode. Together, they will create hypnotic suggestions and a plan of treatment that will best support recovery.

The number of hypnosis sessions will vary from person to person. During the first session, the therapist will induce a hypnotic trance, thus guiding the person into deep relaxation and focused awareness. In addition to the strategies mentioned above, a therapist can employ various techniques to relieve the symptoms of dependence and address the underlying causes of anxiety.

Hypnotherapy techniques used to treat addiction include:

Post Hypnotic Suggestions

While in hypnosis, a person is more amenable to accepting and implementing positive suggestions. These suggestions are most effective when speaking in the present tense. For example, “Whenever I experience craving for my drug of choice, I reach out to friends in recovery for support.” The key to post-hypnotic suggestions is they are both believable and offer desirable alternative responses to substance use.

Anchoring

A person experiences the problem state, such as dependence or craving, while feeling at the mercy of whatever has triggered it. Anchoring is a technique that teaches a person to create positive triggers for more desirable outcomes.

While in a trance, a person will be guided into a relaxed and safe state. They will then be instructed to create an anchor to those feelings. This can be a phrase, a specific place, or a physical gesture, such as pressing the thumb and forefinger together. Through physical and mental association, they can enter the desired state whenever the chosen anchor is activated in the future.

Memory Regression

As mentioned above, substance and behavioral addictions may have their source in memories of past traumatic events. In hypnosis, it is possible to revisit those memories with better resources. For example, a person who experienced physical or emotional abuse as a child can relive the traumatic memory in the safety of the trance state. They can then re-experience the event with the full knowledge that they survived, are more capable of protecting themselves, and are no longer in imminent danger.

Is Hypnotherapy Effective for Addiction?

Hypnosis as entertainment became popular in the United States in the 1980s. As a result, some health professionals lost faith in the practice as a treatment for dependence. However, the application of hypnosis for addiction is regaining credibility, and many studies have supported this resurgence.

One study showed that participants receiving intensive daily hypnosis sessions had a 77% successful recovery rate after a one-year follow-up.⁵ Further research suggests that hypnosis can be a helpful adjunct in improving self-esteem, serenity, and anger management when helping those with chronic substance misuse.⁶ In some cases, hypnosis as a primary intervention can result in recovery.⁷ In short, hypnosis for addiction can reduce discomfort, illicit drug use, and risk of relapse when used in treatment.⁸

Hypnosis as a Complementary Treatment for Dependence

Several types of therapy can be used alongside hypnotherapy for addiction. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) addresses dependence by helping people change their thoughts and behavior. A therapist will help the person with addiction recognize potential triggers to drug use and formulate strategies to engage in more positive behaviors.

Some individuals may benefit from medically assisted treatment (MAT) that combines medication and psychotherapy to create a multifaceted treatment plan. MAT is especially valuable for those with opioid dependence and alcoholism.

Long-term follow-up to prevent relapse is also a critical part of treatment programs for dependence. This follow-up can include individual counseling, therapy, support groups, and 12-Step programs.

How to Find a Hypnotherapist for Addiction

Explore various providers to find one who specializes in addiction treatment. Requirements vary from state to state and country to country, and some states allow people to describe themselves as hypnotherapists while others require the title hypnotist or clinical hypnotist. Either way, check prospective therapists’ credentials to ensure they are qualified to practice in your state or region. In the end, trust your heart and mind. If you feel the therapist empathizes with your issue, that person may be a good fit. 

Below are questions to ask when finding a hypnotherapist for addiction:

• What is your experience with helping people overcome dependencies?
• What kind of success have you had with past clients?
• What additional support do you offer before and after your sessions?
• Who do you consider to be an ideal client?

At-Home Hypnosis for Dependence

A robust approach to recovery includes many different treatment approaches, both in traditional therapeutic and at-home settings. Because craving often manifests as physical symptoms, developing a more fine-tuned awareness of the body is helpful. This awareness, or mindfulness, can be attained through regularly practicing progressive relaxation techniques. Over time, you can develop a heightened ability to recognize anxiety, possibly before your symptoms intensify.

Below are some at-home hypnosis for addiction techniques:

• Progressive muscle relaxation: Most hypnotherapists incorporate progressive muscle relaxation into a hypnosis session. This mindfulness technique is easy to learn and apply at home. Find a quiet space, close your eyes, and bring your attention to each body part from the top of your head down to your feet. Spend some time noticing where there is tension or stress, and do your best to let go and relax.
• Visualization: Once relaxed, you can visualize different scenarios where it becomes possible for addiction cravings to subside. Create a calm, safe place with your imagination, and pay attention to sensory details. This visualization can give you a much-needed break and is often enough to treat the immediate symptoms for the short term.
• Break the cycle: Dependence can make you feel caught in cycles of intense emotions, irresistible craving sensations, guilt, and shame. Breaking this cycle can be challenging, but changing the stimulus or environment can bring relief. Going outside for a walk, exercising, or simply calling a friend in recovery are all ways to expunge negative thinking and feeling.

Final Thoughts

Hypnosis can benefit those struggling with substance misuse, addiction, and other related conditions. Some individuals may experience results within a few sessions, while others may need more time. Whatever your unique situation, hypnotherapy may help you alleviate the symptoms and cravings of addiction.