Can hypnosis help a drug problem?

[Unregistered]

Hello, I 'm having a problem staying away from drugs. I've tried everything for about 2 years now from medications to counseling to psychiatry. I've lost a lot of things including my apartment, job & husband (who was/is also an addict). I'm going uphill in my life with a new job & a lot of people who really care about me. I recently slipped up and used again & my support people are about ready to give up on me. I can't slip again, but I'm afraid I will. Could hypnosis help with this kind of like it does with cigarette smoking?
-artziphartzi312@yahoo.com

[Don]

Hypnotherapy treats everyone as an individual. There is no one answer to working with a behavior a person seems to want to change.

If you want to change, going to a qualified, experience, certified hypnotherapist who has experience in this are might indeed be something that can help you to rapidly achive desired behavioral changes.

[Unregistered]

Where do I start in looking for a hypnotherapist? I never experienced this type of stuff...

[Jack]

Hello Guest,

What substance are you addicted to?

Jack

[Shlomo_NLP]

Friend,

I would firmly suggest you first get in touch with AA group related to your substance, there are plenty of them everywhere. Plus, if you do go for Hypnotherapy, make sure you're under medical supervision as well. Hypnotherapy can change many things but not chemistry, and drugs affect chemistry. It can help you get some relief but not out of drugs if you haven't been treated medically yet.

All my best to you, hope you'd get out of it soon

Shlomo

[Unregistered]

Jack & friends,
I am addicted to cocaine. In the past, it was a 24/7 type thing. I've only used 3-4 times in the last 3 months. With the help of AA type meetings & medication, I've gotten further than ever, but I'm just scared to death to slip up one more time.

[Terry (existing)]

Hypnosis is the perfect tool for all addictions. You seem to be doing all you can to date, and have a sincere desire to recover. I therefor agree that to consult a therapist experienced in addictions makes good sense. It would be one more tool in the fight against becoming actively addicted again.....Done properly, it would also expose causes as yet unknown, as to why you felt the need in the first place. Nobody in their right mind takes such a drug for fun. Treatment may prove costly, and I doubt you have the money needed, but groups such as AA have councillors who treat for free, or for very little, and a hypnotherapist may be among such in your area. I do know in my city we have volunteers who do this as a community service.

[Unregistered]

i agree with everything said above.. first let your blood be cleaned with dialysis then go to a hypnotherapists who is experienced with drug addicts and had successes!

[Unregistered]

Hello, I 'm having a problem staying away from drugs. I've tried everything for about 2 years now from medications to counseling to psychiatry. I've lost a lot of things including my apartment, job & husband (who was/is also an addict). I'm going uphill in my life with a new job & a lot of people who really care about me. I recently slipped up and used again & my support people are about ready to give up on me. I can't slip again, but I'm afraid I will. Could hypnosis help with this kind of like it does with cigarette smoking?
-artziphartzi312@yahoo.com
The first question SHOULD be which drugs do you use. By understanding even that a skilled therapist can start to explore with you your relationship with these particular substances and why they leave such a large hole in your life.

The replies you've had so far say far more about the posters than your situation.

[Terry (existing)]

I wonder what you would have said had you read ALL the posts on this thread?

[Shlomo_NLP]

[QUOTE=Terry (existing)]Hypnosis is the perfect tool for all addictions. QUOTE]


Are you sure? that's quite a generalization... I would say Hypnosis is not the perfect tool. period. There's no such thing as a perfect tool, and most likely there's no perfect tool to handle addictions.

I'm a Hypnotherapist and even though I love my profession and I am amazed each time I discover how much more Hypnosis can help others, it is not the bullet proof method for addictions. Especially drugs related. This is from experience not from pessimism...

But I might be wrong (I hope) - can you refer me to a research on the subject, or proven case studies that give the exact perfect tool for the problem? I'll be more than happy to learn it.

If it's only from your own experience as a therapist, I would be happy to read your own case studies.

[Terry (existing)]

shlomo, I have been retired for fifteen or sixteen years now in so far as active therapy is concerned. Today it is a loved hobby, and I do such research as interests me, without consideration of profit..... My comments are frequently based on personal experience, or on the experience of my friends in the Hypnosis Society of Alberta of which I am a life member. All notes I made over they years are destroyed as my way of ensuring that any communication I had with a client or a volunteer would remain private, something we observe as one of our society rules. All pertinent information that I once had, was passed on to others to ensure that each of us had the opportunity to grow from the experiences of other members.
As for my comments on drugs, I believe many of our society members would agree with my comments, based on personal experience, and I know of no other way to make judgements. Research by others must be repeatable to be acceptable, but personal experience is just that, and comfirms an attitude for us. If you had a success in your first attempt, and was able to repeat it next time, I imagine you would be sold on the idea that you have found something that worked would you not, even though it was only twice? One of my close friends who taught at one of our local hospitals, was also a volunteer with AADAC (alcohol and drug addiction) and his experience alone is good enough for me. On a personal note, I treated very few for such addictions, but was successful at all times for at least a short period. Even smokers who volunteered and didn't really want to quit smoking were persuaded to stop for a short period of time via the use of our art, and in one such case, the young lady being also a new mother, the quitting was permanent I am happy to say, yet when she volunteered she had no intention of quitting. I have no idea what experience you have had, but no doubt it has affected your thinking, just as my experience has affected mine. Hence, some of us will be successful in this area because we enter into therapy with conviction, while others will fail for the same reason in reverse......The attitude of the practitioner has great effect, because of their ability to enter into the therapy with conviction, and knowledge of the suggestions that have worked in the past, and the reason why. If you wish to help a smoker for example, you need to find a valid and acceptable reason for them to cease, plus a replacement for the smoking habit, which is more acceptable to them. If all you do is convince them that smoke smells bad, you will fail the client and come to the conclusion that hypnosis won't work for smokers......Not that I am suggesting that you would do that, but I offer it as an example to make my point.

[Jack]

Hello again Guest,

As you can see, there are several different opinions about the efficacy of hypnotherapy with addictions.

Ultimately there is always a reason why an addict began to use. This is called a causal event or events. In my experience (and I suspect in Terry's too) if you can find the causal event/s an hypnotherapist can resolve the addiction. In my own practice around 50% for coke and 40% for heroin is the going rate although I know of others who have better rates. As a comparison, nicotine is around 90%, Cannabis 85% (this varies with length of use) and amphetamines 65%.

Now, I think the reason why the problem of hard drugs has so low a resolution rate is to do with chemical alterations in neural pathways. I have no proof for this other than hearsay and observation but I remember seeing a paper by a graduate student from, I believe, St Andrew's or Durham University which impressed me regarding anti-depression SSRI's (like Prozac) and the physical alterations in the brain which took place. If anyone has any further information on these cerebral alterations I would be pleased to hear about them. Similarly, any info on the connection between cannabis and schizophrenia would also be appreciated.

If the above were true then it would also be true that some cases of addiction would be intractable to hypnotherapy. Other practitioners on here might argue that chemical alterations in the brain could be reversed by hypnotherapy, but I have my doubts about that.

From your point of view, it would not hurt if after having taken medical advice you were to see a professional hypnotherapist with experience in the treatment of serious addictions. I can't promise that it would have any effect at all, given the above caveats, but at the very least you may be able to identify the subconscious reasons why you decided to become a user, and within that you might find the key to stopping. I'm sorry I can't be more positive.

Jack

[EC]

Guest, One more viewpoint and perhaps a little hope:

If one considers *chemical alterations in neural pathways* May be responsible for addiction, then hope of recovery is reduced and an excuse to keep on using drugs is supported.

Chemical alterations is a "post-Drug use effect" and not a cause of addiction. The same applies to prozac etc. This is NOT a cause, but a result.

It also matters not, what drug you are using. Some with unresolved issues or that have not found the path to dealing with daily life, use cocaine, some heroin, some cannabis, some alcohol, some settle for depression or ADD in lieu of drugs.

Dialysis is not the answer either:

As Terry stated with considerable experience: Hypnosis is the perfect tool. This is so because other therapies are inadequate to either deal with cause effectively, or, to elicit choice effectively. Hypnosis can do either or both rather quickly in the hands of a competent hypno-therapist. However, finding one is actually quite difficult. I am familiar many hypnotist and can count on one hand those that would be qualified to be effective in addiction.

Generally, there are those that are trained and qualified to give basic suggestion. These are the average smoking and weight hypnotist you find. These will profess to kow the most, and know the least. Then, there are those that (regardless of experience) attempt to study and apply medical principle to their belief and practice. These do the most harm by destroying hope thru professing medical origin for most behavioral issues, they spread much mis-information. Then there are those that have considerable experience and have seen and worked at length with the reality of human behavior. Those are your Terry's, and, are the one's you should seek out to help you. I am afraid I cannot help you find one though, remember, I can count the one's I do know one one hand or less.

On a more positive note: Addiction is not hereditary, is not the result of chemical imbalance, and is not neural pathways. Hypnosis in the hands of a competent therapist/hypnotist, is 100% effective if: 1) You want to stop, and, (2 The hypnotist is wise/experienced enough to first address the "why" of the need to escape thru drugs, and second to address the habitual aspect. Both must be satisfied.

Lastly, don't consider "years of experience" as qualifications in a hypnotist. Ask them about experience in dealing with addiction. If the answer is *medical*, or, if they are primarily suggestion or script oriented, keep looking :)

Hop this gives hope,

EC

[EC]

One more thing:

While it may appear that I am against hypnotist from my last post. That is not the case or I wouldn't be posting here. I also utilize hypnosis on a daily basis. I simply get rather blunt at times when mis-information overcomes good suggestion.

Nutrition certainly can be a factor in addiction and should be considered !

EC

[Unregistered]

Thanks to all for your advise/opinions. I have found a "handful" of hypnotherapists in my area & hope to scope each one out as to who would be my best choice in this matter, if any. I really appreciate all the imput that I've gotten. That alone, that none of you really know me, but are willing to help with advise & opinion, gives me hope that there are people out there who care about others.
Thanks much

[Jack]

Hello EC,

Are you suggesting that I am posting mis-information?

Jack
One more thing:


I simply get rather blunt at times when mis-information overcomes good suggestion.

EC

[EC]

Hi Jack,

I wasn't referring to any particular poster. Your opinion is just as valid as mine or anyone else's :)

EC

[skip]

EC I would say that yours and Jack's ARE more valid than a lot of others.

Not that I always agree.

And thats just my opinion.

cheers,

skip

[EC]

Hey Skip,

>> EC: I would say that yours and Jack's ARE more valid than a lot of others <<

* You are to kind *

>> Not that I always agree <<

You could work on that ! :)

EC

[Jack]

Skip,

I can't agree with your disagreement to agree and EC, you should know that Skip needs no work on his level of disagreement, it's perfect as it is, so I disagree with you too. It's Christmas so I'm feeling disagreeable!:( :)

Anybody up for a drunken brawl on Christmas Eve?

Jack

[Terry (existing)]

Damn it Jack, I am too far away to join you in person, but I will raise a glass or two in your direction come Christmas day (G) Well, I will if I am able to find the right direction! On the other hand, I do have a built in safe driver to get me home, so I can let go with confidence that all I might suffer is a hangover, and perhaps vomiting and spoiling my celebration.......

On second thoughts, I will raise ONE glass in your direction, and stay sober (EG) Terry

[Jack]

Ah, Terry. Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without the delicate traceries of blood painted with such loving care by late night revellers on the immaculate white snow outside the pub; the air redolent with the aroma of stale Stella Artois, alcopops and exotically mixed vomit; the glorious wail of the ambulance as the paramedics rush to yet another jolly head injury; the paths strewn with the little latex icons of love so casually discarded by 15 year old binge drinking schoolgirls....could go on, but I think I might just stick to a glass of Laphroaig, a mince pie and repeats of 'It's A Wonderful Life' on TV.

Jack

[TaffyE]

repeats of 'It's A Wonderful Life' on TV.
Jack
Lucky you, we've got "Miracle on 34th St" :mad: