Before diving into hypnotherapy, let’s take a step back and define what hypnosis is exactly. As per the good ol’ dictionary, hypnosis is an artificially induced trance state resembling sleep, characterized by heightened susceptibility to suggestion.
Pretty straightforward and on some level we’re likely all familiar with it, you may have even seen hypnosis as an entertainment act on TV, a cruise ship, etc. That side of it aside, hypnosis is a real and effective tool for helping those working to overcome addiction.
What Is Hypnotherapy?
A deeper definition, that incorporates the therapeutic aspects can be found in the Western Journal of Medicine:
“Hypnosis is the induction of a deeply relaxed state, with increased suggestibility and suspension of critical faculties. Once in this state, sometimes called a hypnotic trance, patients are given therapeutic suggestions to encourage changes in behavior or relief of symptoms.”
That openness to suggestion is the hallmark of what makes hypnotherapy work when it comes to addiction but it’s important to note that it’s not something that would be considered a treatment in its own right. It’s meant to be used as a piece of a larger treatment program, something which makes the entire rehab experience more holistic in nature.
How Is Hypnotherapy Used in Addiction Treatment?
The main goal of any therapy, in general, is to create and solidify long term and lasting change, so naturally, the aim of hypnotherapy for addiction functions as a piece of that puzzle. It’s yet another tool that works towards changing behavior.
Hypnotherapy is performed by a trained hypnotherapist who brings a patient into a hypnotic trance, that deeply relaxed and focused state where the susceptibility to suggestion increases exponentially. In this state, a therapist is able to tap into the subconscious and unconscious mind to move towards discovering the deeper, root causes of addiction that a patient might have buried. This is also known as regression therapy and it’s thought that working through and resolving these past issues can dramatically improve a person’s present mental state.
Additionally, in a hypnotic state, a person is inherently more open to the idea of changing their patterns of behavior or at least planting the seeds for the type of sweeping behavioral shift that’s required to lead a sober life.
The benefits of incorporating hypnosis go beyond simply being a tool for behavioral change though and can help with other peripheral aspects of addiction like reducing stress and anxiety and helping you to sleep better.
And again, it bears repeating that this isn’t the end all be all of treatment, overcoming addiction is something that requires a treatment regimen that takes the whole person into account; body and mind.
Without getting the toxins out of your body first, by way of a managed and safe detox, it’s impossible to properly work on the mind. Without having a penetrating, 360-degree plan for working through the mental side of addiction, the likelihood for success isn’t as high as it could or should be.
In most cases, after detox a residential inpatient program is the next step. Psychotherapy aka talk therapy is the well-known cornerstone and backbone of a substance abuse rehab. Via individual therapy sessions with trained and licensed professionals, as well as group and family sessions, a person is able to work through their issues. That’s where the value of hypnosis lives, as a complementary piece to a broader plan.
Get Help With Addiction at Valley Recovery Center Agua Dulce
At Valley Recovery Center we understand that and create personalized rehab programs, from detox through your stay with us, and if hypnotherapy is the right choice for you, we’ll incorporate it into your treatment. At the end of the day, it’s about doing what it takes to get you healthy again and hypnosis just might be the ticket. If you’d like more info on it, please don’t hesitate to reach out!