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10 September 2021
Sugar, energy drinks, shopping and mobile phones, just a few of the things we can become addicted to. Then, there are the habits we usually associate with addiction — drinking, smoking, taking drugs and gambling. But does hypnotherapy have a place on the road to recovery?
What is addiction?
According to the NHS, an addiction is “not having control over doing, taking or using something to the point where it could be harmful to you”. 1 An addiction is not only physical; it’s psychological.2
Can hypnotherapy help?
Yes, although it’s not a ‘one-stop shop’.3 Hypnotherapy for drug and alcohol use disorder, for example, works alongside other treatments and can enable the journey to becoming habit-free more manageable.4, 5
During hypnotherapy, clients experience hypnosis, a state of trance where the mind is more open to suggestion. Trance also induces exceptional focus and eliminates distractions.3 As the client, you will feel complete relaxation and have full control over your actions throughout.3, 6During hypnosis, individuals can be more suggestible; this means your therapist could reframe your attitude to overcoming your addiction or help to increase your willpower to make the journey more achievable.3
Stoptober: an opportunity to quit any addiction?
With Stoptober just around the corner, we turn our attention to smoking and nicotine addiction. But moreover, for the past 18 months, times haven’t been normal. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and its subsequent impact, we’ve all been subject to potentially higher levels of stress, possibly leading to some harmful coping mechanisms.
There was a marked increase in individuals drinking more as the pandemic took hold and lockdowns came into force, with drinking levels in June 2021 not back to pre-pandemic numbers.7, 8 Gaming addiction in children increased, or alternatively, disorders that were already present were made worse by young people spending more time at home.9 Plus, early findings in some studies identified an increase in drug use in response to the pandemic.10, 11
According to the British Lung Foundation, your chances of completely stopping smoking are five times better if you quit for 28 days straight.12 Whatever habit you’re trying to beat, hypnotherapy could increase your chances of success further. Whether through developing willpower, improving your mental health (resulting in less reliance on your addiction), or visualising yourself experiencing positive outcomes, you’ve got an additional helping hand.3, 5
Fran Dunning is a qualified hypnotherapist and mindfulness coach with 20 year’s experience. Contact Fran on 07973 819867 or email change@francesdunning.com if you’d like to find how hypnotherapy could help you. Alternatively, visit Fran’s website at https://www.francesdunning.com. Fran runs free 30-minute online mindfulness sessions on Wednesday evenings from 7.15 pm.
Please see your GP for further information and advice on your specific addiction before consulting a hypnotherapist to support your recovery. If you experience personality disorders or psychosis, you should not consider hypnotherapy as a treatment option.13
References
1. https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/addiction-what-is-it/
2. https://www.healthline.com/health/psychological-addiction
3. https://www.verywellmind.com/hypnotherapy-treatment-for-addiction-4120753
4. https://www.hypnotherapy-directory.org.uk/articles/drugabuse.html
5. https://www.healthline.com/health/substance-use/hypnosis-for-drinking
6. https://www.verywellmind.com/hypnotherapy-2671993
7. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-54151481
8. https://analytics.phe.gov.uk/apps/covid-19-indirect-effects/
11. https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/06/1094672
12. https://www.blf.org.uk/take-action/campaign-with-us/stoptober Last visited 06.09.2021
13. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hypnotherapy/ Last visited 06.09.2021
