Reduce Alcohol in Your Life with Hypnotherapy
Alcohol consumption can be a slippery slope, especially if someone has the tendency to overdo things. Several addiction treatment programs do not work for a lot of people because they do not tap into the subconscious and get deep into the root of their awareness for overdrinking.
At Healing Soul Hypnosis, using the power of the mind, we provide a series of relaxation techniques and skills to reach a relaxed, focused subconscious state (heightened state of awareness), then make suggestions, persuasions to avoid alcohol.
An example shows an image associated with alcohol addiction suggesting if they drink again, they may experience a reaction, such as a stomach pain. Since the mind is so powerful, it is likely that under the effects of hypnotherapy will experience stomach pain when they consume alcohol, which in turn causes them to stop consuming alcohol. There are many ways in which to use a person’s hyper-awareness for treatment to reduce alcohol consumption.
Research Backs Hypnosis Up
A study involving 31 adults in an in-patient treatment program for alcohol use disorder compared hypnotherapy to motivational interviewing. Randomly assigned to two separate groups, they all attended group counseling and activities, and received 1 hour of individual therapy each week. One group received motivational interview therapy (which would be regular treatment), the other received hypnotherapy.
The participants in hypnotherapy were to visualize themselves in several ways mastering the urge to drink, like:
- Not accepting a drink at a social event
- Staying calm when stress triggers an urge to drink
- Choosing not to enter a liquor store
A year later, upon follow-up, researchers found evidence to suggest all participants reported significant decrease in alcohol use (who responded to the follow-up), hypnotherapy participants reported slightly less emotional distress and nine of the hypnotherapy participants reported complete abstinence, opposed to seven participants in the motivational interview group.
Dealing with the Root Cause
Hypnotherapy can help a person understand why their behaviours can be attributed to alcohol abuse. We can tap into the subconscious mind to uncover the root cause of their addiction. Through the power of suggestion, we can implement good behaviors in place of the destructive ones. We can examine and pinpoint areas in a person’s life that need change, to cope and see a different view on alcohol.
Alcohol has been used as the root cause to curb stress, anxiety, and depression to name a few. Hypnotherapy helps with these underlying issues and can therefore be a treatment tool to reduce alcohol intake.
Since hypnotherapy helps to promote behavioral change and reducing alcohol counts as a type of behavioral change, this supports the use of hypnotherapy for reducing alcohol use in one’s life.
It can be hard to admit there is an issue with alcohol. Some go years at a time without being treated, or attempt to get help only to relapse in their subconscious patterns. Recovery is possible with dedicated support, treatment and if right for you, hypnotherapy can be a part of your successful treatment. Call me if you feel you need to reduce alcohol in your life and need support.
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