Hypnotherapy To Treat Drug Addiction

Hypnotherapy is a technique used to help an individual enter into a hypnotic state, but why is this “state” of mind so beneficial? Research from the American Psychological Association has shown that hypnotic states of mind allow people to recall some memories better and to process those memories without triggering emotional states that may be too intense to work therapeutically in.

Therefore, a hypnotic state allows those suffering from drug addiction to recall troublesome memories and reasons for why they began their drug addiction in the first place. Hypnotherapy is then a treatment that attempts to address the root of the drug problem rather than the symptoms. Furthermore, hypnosis can also help a person access memories that have been stored in the unconscious brain and are therefore blocked or cannot be recalled during normal brain states.

Hypnotherapy works in conjunction with other forms of therapies, but when used alone is oftentimes administered by s state-licensed therapist. The patient in the session lays down and closes their eyes or is blindfolded. Then the therapist guides the patient into a trance-like state by having the patient focus on their breath or the words of the therapist. Many have also compared this to a waking or daydream-like state. Once in the “trance”, the patient can be treated in one of two ways. The first method is called “suggestive therapy”, which can make a person more responsive to suggestions they receive. For instance, some behavioral patterns or habits can slowly be changed over time with this technique. The other method is known as “analysis therapy”. Instead of trying to actively change a habit, this approach tries to passively listen and bring up blocked memories or reasons for why the patient began using drugs in the first place.

Since the hypnotic state allows a patient to be more open to discussion and accessing painful memories, the patient can better focus on and process difficult emotions and learn what their root cause for using drugs is. Hypnosis can also help diminish or treat other associated conditions alongside the drug addiction such as anxiety, paranoia, stress, grief, loss, PTSD, and more. What most drug addicts don’t realize is their drug problem likely stemmed from some form of emotional trauma such as PTSD, anxiety, and so on. Some studies even suggest that those who suffer from PTSD are up to 5-10 times more likely to end up with drug addiction. Not only that but most people who have PTSD don’t even realize it and may eventually turn to drugs as a way to cope with the troublesome emotions and burden of their PTSD.