Intensive Therapy: Utilizing Hypnosis in the Treatment of Substance Abuse Disorders

American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis,  Jul 2004  by Potter, Greg

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Ego-State Therapy

Watkins and Watkins (1997) describe parts of the individual client who are intellectually, emotionally, and behaviorally vested in conflicting goals. Hypnosis is a useful tool to create a safe environment for the client to access and get to know their various parts. When using Ego-State Therapy with addictions, the therapist can help the client understand the needs of his or her part that wants the drug, and help that part achieve it's goal without using the drug. The part's goal may be a benefit like comfort, relaxation, control, independence, excitement, etc. Ego-State Therapy has been quite effective with some clients.

Self-hypnosis

Self-hypnosis is routinely taught to all clients. It is left up to the clients as to how they use it. I recommend using self-hypnosis without the assistance of tape recorders. This avoids anchoring the client to the recorder so he or she can be free to use the skill anywhere.

Results

Since August of 1996, 18 clients have started the intensive treatment program of five sessions per week. The length of the intensive treatment program is 4 weeks. Two of those clients did not complete the full 20 sessions. One of those two, a man in his early 30s, left treatment after 19 sessions and at last contact, 16 months after terminating treatment, was still abstinent from alcohol. The second client terminating early was a man in his late 20s who attended 15 sessions, terminated his program, and returned to drinking.

Twelve clients continued treatment following the 20-session program for aftercare counseling. Four clients terminated treatment following the 20 sessions. The most sessions (including aftercare) attended for this program was 64 sessions. This client was a 39-year-old white male in treatment for a cocaine addiction, who went through two relapses before achieving a complete year without a relapse. Those 64 sessions were over a 3-year time frame. At last contact he had been drug-free for 3 years.

Of the 18 clients who started the 20-session program, and most attending aftercare sessions, 12 remained drug- free. Two clients returned to moderate drinking, and appear to be doing well. Two clients relapsed to abusive drinking, and one of those clients was charged with a third driving-under-the-influence citation. There are two clients with whom I have lost contact and whose status I do not know. Therefore, 14 out of 18 people have successfully maintained their goal for at least one year. The program has produced a 77 percent success rate, for at least a one-year follow-up. However, as Powell (1995) points out, when the goal is not achieved there is always something new to learn. So, maybe there are no successes and no failures-only results followed by the next step.

Discussion

In light of the continued struggle to find efficacious treatment modalities for addictions, hypnosis appears to be a viable treatment approach. However, for hypnosis to be effective the treatment plan must be individualized. Although hypnosis should never be presented as a quick fix, not all addictions clients are going to agree to or be in need of a 20-session program. Hypnosis can also be utilized as a part of a broadband approach that may include Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous meetings, and other forms of talk therapy.