{"id":61272,"date":"2025-07-13T03:50:17","date_gmt":"2025-07-13T03:50:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/61272\/"},"modified":"2025-07-13T03:50:17","modified_gmt":"2025-07-13T03:50:17","slug":"should-you-try-hypnosis-to-stop-drinking-experts-weigh-in","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/61272\/","title":{"rendered":"Should you try hypnosis to stop drinking? Experts weigh in"},"content":{"rendered":"

Clinical hypnosis has shown to be effective in the treatment of pain, anxiety, stress,\u00a0cancer<\/a> treatment\u00a0side effects, phobias and habit control problems, such as smoking and weight control, according to past randomized controlled trials.<\/p>\n

\u201cHypnosis is the oldest Western form of psychotherapy, but it is underutilized,\u201d Dr. David Spiegel, associate chair of psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine in California<\/a> and a leading authority in the field of hypnosis, told Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n

What is hypnosis?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hypnosis is not itself considered a therapy. Rather, it enhances other treatments by inducing a state of increased concentration while reducing peripheral awareness, experts say.<\/p>\n

Clinical hypnosis has shown to be effective in the treatment of pain, anxiety, stress,\u00a0cancer treatment\u00a0side effects, phobias, smoking and weight control. Monika Wisniewska \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n

The practice aims to put people in a\u00a0deep state of relaxation\u00a0so they can learn more easily.<\/p>\n

Shawn Criswell, Ph.D., a mental counselor practicing in Oregon, defines it as \u201ca gentle way of shifting people\u2019s focus to new ideas and perspectives that can help\u00a0improve their lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

Added Criswell, \u201cIt does this in part by connecting them with their strengths and resources, empowering them in the process, and directly contradicting the old, tired myth that in hypnosis, you\u2019ll give up control of yourself.\u201d He co-authored,\u00a0together with Michael Yapko, Ph.D, the latest edition of \u201cTrancework: An Introduction to the Practice of Clinical Hypnosis.\u201d<\/p>\n

Past research suggests that hypnosis may alter brain activity related to attention and consciousness.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe\u00a0brain activation\u00a0patterns during hypnosis \u2014 such as for color, pain and sound \u2014 are similar to those observed during actual experiences,\u201d Dr. Ryan Sultan, attending physician at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and director of the Mental Health Informatics Lab at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, told Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n

According to doctors, clinical hypnosis therapy can reduce cravings for those struggling with alcohol use disorder. Pixel-Shot \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n

Some people may choose to practice self-hypnosis, which he described as the process of entering a trance-like state without the guidance of a hypnotist.<\/p>\n

Sultan compared it to entering a \u201ccontrolled, simplified state\u201d in which people may be more open to certain ideas and therapeutic suggestions.<\/p>\n

But the effects can be short-lived, he noted, and some individuals may find it difficult to maintain the hypnotic state without external cues.<\/p>\n

The treatment technique has been approved by the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Association. To maximize its safety and effectiveness, Sultan recommended hypnosis by a\u00a0qualified professional.<\/p>\n

Can hypnosis cure alcohol dependence?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hypnosis may help support people with drinking problems by encouraging motivation, reducing cravings and helping to manage stress, according to Dr. Lama Bazzi, a psychiatrist in private practice in New York City<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The expert emphasized, however, that hypnosis is not a standalone cure for problem drinking. Instead, it\u2019s part of a comprehensive treatment plan that includes focused cognitive-behavioral therapy, psychiatric support and\u00a0targeted medications\u00a0when necessary.<\/p>\n

Hypnosis may help support people with drinking problems by encouraging motivation, reducing cravings and helping to manage stress. Africa Studio \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is less evidence about alcohol problems, but I have had patients stop drinking by focusing on respecting and protecting their bodies,\u201d Spiegel noted.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of my patients thought about that concept in hypnosis, and said, \u2018You mean, the body is the temple of the soul?\u2019\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Risks and regulations<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hypnotherapy presents little risk, according to Spiegel.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe worst thing that can happen is that it may not always work,\u201d he told Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n

Possible mild side effects include dizziness and emotional release. There is also a risk of false memories if used for memory recall, Sultan cautioned.<\/p>\n

The therapy is also not recommended for people with severe mental illness<\/a>, such as psychosis, experts say.<\/p>\n

Experts said that hypnotherapy presents little risk to one\u2019s mental health. RFBSIP \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n

Mayo Clinic also notes that side effects are uncommon, but that some people may\u00a0experience anxiety, sleepiness, headache and nausea.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is best to seek care from a\u00a0psychiatrist or psychologist\u00a0with specialized training in clinical hypnosis,\u201d\u00a0Bazzi told Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese professionals can objectively assess your susceptibility to hypnosis, determine whether it is an appropriate and potentially effective intervention for your specific concerns, and develop a comprehensive, multimodal treatment plan tailored to your needs,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

For those seeking a hypnotist, experts recommend visiting the websites of the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis or The International Society of Hypnosis, both of which offer directories of professionals who have expertise and often certification in the practice.<\/p>\n

Warning signs of alcohol use disorder<\/strong><\/p>\n

Some 28 million Americans aged 18 and older are living with alcohol-use disorder, according to 2023 estimates from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.<\/p>\n

People may be drinking excessively if they consume enough alcohol in one sitting to raise their blood alcohol level to greater than 0.08, or if they drink more than a certain\u00a0number of drinks\u00a0in one week, experts say.<\/p>\n

This generally equates to women having four or more drinks or men consuming five or more drinks at once \u2014 or a weekly amount of eight or more drinks for women or 15 or more drinks for men, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.<\/p>\n

Signs of an\u00a0alcohol problem\u00a0include experiencing a loss of control when drinking, continuing to drink despite adverse consequences, and experiencing compulsive cravings when not drinking \u2013 often referred to as the \u201cthree Cs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Those who think they may have an alcohol-dependence problem and are interested in seeking alternative therapies should contact their doctor for recommendations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Clinical hypnosis has shown to be effective in the treatment of pain, anxiety, stress,\u00a0cancer treatment\u00a0side effects, phobias and…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":61273,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[2106,210,44153,1060,67,132,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-61272","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-medication","8":"tag-alcohol","9":"tag-health","10":"tag-hypnotic","11":"tag-medication","12":"tag-united-states","13":"tag-unitedstates","14":"tag-us"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/114843892039103861","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61272","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=61272"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61272\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/61273"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61272"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=61272"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=61272"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}