What the Evidence Shows

• A recent umbrella review (meta-analysis of meta-analyses) examined hypnosis use across mental and somatic health conditions. While it found medium to large effects in areas like pain and medical procedures, there was little direct, high-quality evidence for addictions per se. Frontiers

• Hypnotherapy is more strongly supported as an adjunct (i.e. in addition to other therapies) rather than as a stand-alone treatment. Cambridge University Press & Assessment+1

• In alcohol use disorder, there is an RCT comparing hypnotherapy to motivational interviewing. The study reported some positive secondary outcomes (like self-esteem, reduced impulsivity) in the hypnotherapy subgroup who practised self-hypnosis. Omics Online Publishing

• Clinical overviews note that hypnotherapy may help reduce relapse risk, assist in coping with cravings, and change subconscious associations, but also caution that it is not a cure-all and must be integrated carefully into a broader treatment plan. ahahypnotherapy.org.au

• A contemporary article on clinical hypnosis argues that, although applications are broader and research more rigorous now, usage in psychology and addiction treatment still lags behind the empirical support. SpringerLink

How Hypnotherapy Might Help Addictions (Theory & Mechanisms)

• Subconscious reprogramming: Changing deep-stored beliefs or associations (e.g. “I need X to feel calm”)

• Craving control: Using suggestion and imagery to reduce the intensity or frequency of urges

• Relapse prevention: Embedding coping strategies, reinforcing resilience, strengthening self-control

• Emotional healing: Accessing traumatic or emotional roots of addiction to resolve triggers

Hypnotherapy often is combined with other modalities (CBT, motivational interviewing, psychotherapy) to maximize effect. Cambridge University Press & Assessment+1

Limitations & Cautions

• Very few large, well-controlled randomized trials focusing solely on hypnotherapy for addictions exist.

• Effects are often mixed, outcomes vary, and many studies rely on self-report, short follow-up, or uncontrolled designs.

• Hypnotherapy depends heavily on therapist skill, client suggestibility, motivation, and the quality of integration with other treatments.

• It should not replace established, evidence-based addiction treatments (e.g. CBT, medication, support groups) but can be considered a supplementary tool.