Hypnosis for addictions: a gentle but powerful method

Addictions affect millions of people worldwide, whether they are addicted to tobacco, alcohol, food, screens or other substances. There are conventional treatments such as psychotherapy and medication, as well as complementary methods such as hypnosis, which are attracting increasing interest.

What is hypnosis?

Hypnosis is a modified state of consciousness, between wakefulness and sleep, in which attention is focused, while critical awareness is partially erased. This state allows easier access to the unconscious, where many habits, beliefs and behavioral patterns reside.

There are several forms of hypnosis:

• classical hypnosis
• Ericksonian hypnosis (the most widely used form of therapy, and the one practiced at La Clinique Naturelle Genève)
• or self-hypnosis.

The therapist does not put the person to sleep, but accompanies them into a state of deep relaxation, conducive to change.

Addiction: an ingrained automatism

Addiction is a complex neurological and emotional process, often linked to a desire to relieve pain, reduce stress or respond to anxiety.
Over time, consumption (of tobacco, alcohol, sugar, etc.) becomes an automatic ritual, a reflex response to certain triggers: stress, loneliness, boredom, social pressure, irritation... These reflexes become imprinted on the unconscious. That's where hypnosis comes in, by reprogramming these unconscious automatisms.

How does hypnosis work on addiction?

Hypnosis works on several levels:

• Modify unconscious associations:
  For example, if a person associates smoking with relaxation, hypnosis can deactivate this link and replace it with a healthier one.
• Reinforcing inner motivation: Hypnosis can intensify the deep desire to change, by visualizing a future free of addiction.
• Manage the emotions that fuel addiction: anxiety, anger, sadness... Hypnosis helps to welcome and transform them.
• Getting to the root cause: In some cases, sessions can help to trace the emotional origins of the addiction (trauma, rejection, loss...).

For which addictions can hypnosis be effective?

Hypnosis is used in particular for :

• Smoking cessation
• Alcohol
• Screen and game addictions
• Certain behavioral addictions (compulsive shopping, toxic relationships...)

Its effectiveness depends on the patient's motivation, history and trusting relationship with the practitioner.

Is hypnosis alone enough?

In some cases, yes. A series of sessions can trigger a powerful change (e.g. to stop smoking). But in the majority of situations, hypnosis is part of a holistic approach: psychotherapy, sophrology, etc.
-> Discover our stop-smoking page, where we list the various complementary therapies that can be combined to overcome an addiction.

Hypnosis is a complementary therapy that opens doors, but it's up to the individual to decide whether or not to go through them.
Hypnosis does not make you "forget" an addiction. It gives power back to the person, by reaching out to inner resources that are often ignored or repressed. If you or a loved one is struggling with an addiction, why not consider hypnosis as one more tool in your healing journey? Gentle, respectful and non-invasive, it might just surprise you.