Hypnotherapy curing drug addictions

[JKeith]

Hello all! I'm writing an article on hypnotherapy as a cure for smoking/alcoholism. I was hoping I could get feedback from people that have taken hypnotherapy for either of these addictions. It doesn't matter if it worked/didn't work, or even if you're thinking about it or are in the process of taking treatment.

Please post back and perhaps we could chat via email or instant message (or if you're in London we could chat face-to-face?).

Thanks so much!

-Jocelyn

[Poodle]

Try looking into the back pages of this Forum. You will find a wealth of information from which to write. Please note: We do NOT CURE anything. I also do not understand your linking of smoking with alcohol. Perhaps you would care to explain to us so that a reply could be made which would be of benefit for you. For which periodical are you writing and lastly how are you going to quote your sources -- a Poodle on an internet Forum in Lord Only Knows Where in the USA wrote??? Pood :)

[JKeith]

I did not mean to confuse you in my post. Through my research I have found thousands of hypnotherapy sites and hypnotherapists claiming to have huge success rates in getting people off of their addictions. That's where I got the word "cure" from. I'm focusing on drug addictions - hence my connection of smoking and alcohol. I am writing for an online magazine called The Snowball. I also wouldn't quote people in the forum - my post was meant as a stepping stone to get a conversation with a real person with a name, not a nickname on a forum board, as that's unprofessional. I have spoken to hypnotherapists and I don't want my article to be one-sided. Anyone willing to have a chat with me on the topic would be great.
-Jocelyn

[Don]

Hello, Jocelyn.

I understand your confusion and difficulties. I regret to say that although there are, no doubt, many people here who will be more than glad to assist you, there will be communication problems.

You view the world through the eyes of someone who is a researcher and writer. I imagine you will agree that such a view is different from that of the average person on the street. Even so, your views will still have many commonalities with that average person because you were brought up in a society that has certain built-in concepts that pervade all aspects of culture.

People training in hypnotherapy have had to un-learn some of those ideas and learn new ones. As a result, there is a different way of looking at the world--a different paradigm--that is held by hypnotherapists and non-hypnotherapists.

This only manifests in a few areas, but they are so very important. Let me give you an example. If 500 people are suffering from a disease, doctors will give the same drug to them. It's a very mechanistic view of the human body. If X then Y. If a part goes bad, go to the shop and get a replacement, stick it in, and then everything will be okay.

The hypnotherapeutic view is entirely different. Here in the U.S., we do not deal with disease (unless we receive a referral from an MD). But let's look at an illness. Every illness has a cause--bacteria, genetics, etc. But even though those causes are all around, something allows the body to manifest the disease. It could be stress, depression, bad habits, or even the expectation that is will occur triggering a decrease in the immune system.

From our point of view, each person is an individual. Each undesired behavior has a unique cause for that person. And each desired change has its own mode for achieving that change.

What this means is that one "hypnosis pill" doesn't work for everyone. Each hypnotherapeutic intervention needs to be designed by a trained professional in cooperation with the wants, needs, and desires of each client, and in harmony with well being.

I'm sorry for that long introduction. I needed it to make my point that there is no single hypnotherapeutic "cure" or treatment for addiction. The hypnotherapy that helps one person no longer exhibit addictive behaviors may have lesser or no effect on another person.

This concept runs contrary to the common thinking of "Hey, if it worked for him it should work for me."

I hope this gives you a bit of background that will help you in your article. I wouldn't want anyone to mislead you into thinking that there was a hypnosis instant pill or wonder cure that would help all people with an addiction.

[Terry (existing)]

Joyclin, you were a little confusing to me also, in that you asked about persons who have had the experience of using this method as a "cure", and the confusion is not in the use of the word itself, but the impression that you were looking for clients, and not practitioners.
As for quoting any of those of us who might be willing to talk to you blind, that also is hardly of much value to a true journalist, since our word would be difficult to clarify as fact don't you think? I can tell you, any information I chose to give would be confidential, since I protect my clients annonymity fully. Further, we are constantly exposed to fraudulent requests, and since we know nothing about you or the magazine you quote, why on earth should we be willing to help you? I ask this, not to be rude, but to point out that your request is rather presumptious.
I can tell you that thirty or so years ago, smokers were not the favourite clients of our profession, since our success rate was about twenty percent in those days. Since then we have grown in knowledge and experience, and the success rate today is much higher. How much higher depends on the skill and experience ot the particullar practitioner. Further, your coupling smoking with alcohol abuse is not warranted since there is no comparison between the two problems for us. The smoker is just a smoker, and the only difference between one and another is the reason we need to find in order to effect cessation. The alcoholic on the other hand, can be what they are due to a condition they are born with, or can be made an alcoholic by choice and lifestyle, so in fact there are two different types of alcoholic. I suggest that if you want more than that, you show willing to prove who you are, and also that the magazine you are writing for is legitimate, and has a circulation figure larger than a church bulletin.
I am sure you would not expect to write to a doctor for medical information without offering such proof, and fact is, we too are professionals and expect to be treated as such.

[Nigel H]

My reading of the original question did not actually link smoking and alcholism - rather suggested both were the subject of the query i.e. Smoking AND Alcolholism as addictions, separately.....

Terry - I know you always say as you find - blunt and to the point, which is fine ..... and I can't help wonder why you appear to come across defensively in this scenario - I read the query as an innocent question searching for help on a topic for which Jocelyn has little factual info yet......

Similarly - the use of the word 'cure' is something we all get too obsessed with in my opinion. We all know that we are not actually supposed to say we can 'cure' a condition, but others out there do not know this distinction..... this said I often think it is semantics for the sake of it - or the sake of legal-ease - because in my view, if someone comes to see you with a set of symptoms which add up to their 'problem' in whatever format that may be .......... and they leave you without those symptoms, in everyday language they feel cured.

Just like if they go to a doctor with an 'illness' and get a pill which gets rid of their symptoms, they are cured of that illness - doesn't mean they won't get it again, but they had a 'cure' for that specific set of symptoms.

So, whilst I know why we're not meant to say we 'cure' anything, to someone without that distinction/knowledge it seems a reasonable term of phrase to me!!

Cheers

Nig

[Terry (existing)]

Nigel, I want you to read my post again please, and note each point that you misunderstood. First of all the term "cure", I pointed out that it was a common mistake, and that was NOT what I had a problem with. This being so, obviously you for some reason misunderstood or missed my point, which means that it was of no benifit to you. I sure hope the poster didn't make that same mistake or I wasted my time.
As for linking the two, I offered information to the poster to help them understand the difference between the two. Did you understand that there was a difference, or did it pass you by?
As for the doctor scenario, when you go to the doctor with a problem, you expect to be offered help to eradicate the problem, but if you go to the doctor to get information you can print in an article, and all the doctor does is give you a pill, both of you have wasted your time don;t you think?
I gave the poster as much of what they asked for as I felt I could reasonably give to a stranger. If you missed every point I must be losing my touch, or youngsters are less and less educated in the English language, not sure which.
Please let me know after rereading if it is me who is being ambiguous, or if you were too rushed to give my post proper thought...

[JKeith]

Terry-

Sorry that you felt I came across as an "unclear journalist". My methods were only to try and talk to a person who has experienced hypnotherapy to end their smoking habit or alcohol abuse. I'm not trying to sabotage anyone, and since this is a public forum, I figured there might be plenty of people out there who would be willing to do so. I'm only looking for usable quotes to help support my article. Obviously the person would be quoted, unless they wanted to remain anonymous. This is what journalists do. I was unclear of what you meant here: "As for quoting any of those of us who might be willing to talk to you blind, that also is hardly of much value to a true journalist, since our word would be difficult to clarify as fact don't you think?" If this were the case, as most journalists are unknown by the public and interview people daily, then we shouldn't trust anyone we talk to. As for the publication I am writing for, I'm a freelance journalist, I write for many magazines. It shouldn't matter who I submit my work to, as an editor will determine whether it is print-worthy or not. And it also shouldn't matter how big the circulation is.

Anyways, as I had stated before, I had posted this thread as a stepping stone to briefly chat with someone who has used hypnotherapy to get over their smoking habit or alcoholism. It's really not a big deal. If someone doesn't mind me asking a few questions about their experience than please feel free to email me at: jocelynkeith@mac.com. And if afterwards you still don't believe I'm a journalist, I'll gladly email them the article after it's published.

-Jocelyn

[skip]

Jocelyn,

Could I ask you for a sleightly differing approach? One that you might find more productive.

I dare say 99.8% of the practicing hypnotists that visit here have done 'stop smoking' work. And success rates, if I recall correctly, from previous discussions, varied from 60% to 90% +/-.

Certainly a smaller percentage have worked with other types of addictions, such as drugs, but not limited to just that.

Verbally, in person, it might be easier for all concerned, for you to say, "Tell me about your work in these areas ..."

Here it is somewhat more cumbersome.

Why dont you tell us a bit about what you want to write about, and why.

What you have learned about hypnosis in general, or specifically about habit or addiction control, so far, and whether or not, that has met your expectations.

How do you 'see' the article shaping up? Is it going to be a series of 'war stories'? Is it going to be like investigative journalism?

Have you ever experienced hypnotism yourself? If not, do you plan to, as part of your research?

What questions do you still have unansewered.

What questions do you have, that you dont yet know you have?

This sort of thing helps get the 'ball' rolloing.

Have you used the search engine here to look for past discussions about stopping smoking or drug addiction? That might be a resource you can use to ask specific members here, now, about what they have said in the past.

And a 'suggestion' if you will forgive the pun...

You asked people to respond privately, I assume to protect their privacy. My experience is that will severely limit your responses. And of the responses you do get, you will be relying on yourself, to verify accuracy, and think of follow up questions.

It might be more productive to carry out the process 'pubically', I suspect you would get more participation that way.

cheers,

skip

[Poodle]

I believe The National Guild of Hypnotists may keep track of so-called "cures". Perhaps poster would like to send them an email at ngh@ngh.net and get official answers from a large worldwide organization. I may have read that at some time?????

[Poodle]

Fantastic reframing and metaing! Definitely the mark of a good trainer!

[Poodle]

I know for sure you LOVE TLT. Tad James words it as: 100% satisfaction or return of all money paid to them. Client also has to come with a referral from a licensed physician. I could not even guesstimate the $$$$ of this. Merlin has stated: If you have to ask the price, you probably can't afford it. Can you see the wisdom in his choice of words? Pood :)

[Nigel H]

Hi Terry - thanks for the reply ....

I was not referring my comments on the use of the word 'cure' to you specifically - more of a general rant on my part I'm afraid!

On the remainder - regarding my comment on what I have read as possible defensiveness ...........

**** "Further, we are constantly exposed to fraudulent requests, and since we know nothing about you or the magazine you quote, why on earth should we be willing to help you? I ask this, not to be rude, but to point out that your request is rather presumptious."

using phrases such as 'why on earth should we be willing to help you' and '...rather presumptious' - in print comes across as perhaps strong words for the topic in hand - all be it without the clarification and luxury of 'tone of voice' to add to the communication, so limiting the meaning......

**** "... I suggest that if you want more than that, you show willing to prove who you are, and also that the magazine you are writing for is legitimate, and has a circulation figure larger than a church bulletin.
I am sure you would not expect to write to a doctor for medical information without offering such proof, and fact is, we too are professionals and expect to be treated as such."

I was unsure as to why you needed to know such information in order to answer such a question as has been raised - to me ... asking someone to 'prove who you are' sounds defensive with regard to that having relevance to what level of answer you give......

Similarly, your comment on our being professionals .... whilst correct - I was unsure why you felt the need to state this? Did you have a feeling that this were not the case? I did not .....

My comment stated that I had not noted a link between smoking and alcoholism ... actually feeling they are separate items, rather than being linked, so we are in agreement on that score!

So - in brief - I was not too rushed in my answer and have re-read your posting to give it the respect anyone deserves if possibly being misunderstood!

I would ask for clarity on your comment relating to the young being less and less educated in the English language as to whether this relates to me, or all of us here, or anyone in general!??!

Whilst I am aware that you are more senior in years than I (aged 36), I am English by birth and have a University education, which whilst not an English degree (actually Accounting!) I am sure gives me a pretty good understanding of my country's language ... well, I hope it would anyway!!

So as to whether I misunderstood - there is always the possibility that is the case - and taking an NLP related presupposition 'the meaning of our communication is the response that we get' - if we are misunderstood it is our own job to re-phrase to enable ourselves to be better understood to the individual we are communicating with - something I feel we are trying to do in these responses.

Nig

[Nigel H]

I know for sure you LOVE TLT. Tad James words it as: 100% satisfaction or return of all money paid to them. Client also has to come with a referral from a licensed physician. I could not even guesstimate the $$$$ of this. Merlin has stated: If you have to ask the price, you probably can't afford it. Can you see the wisdom in his choice of words? Pood :)


Hi Pood - sorry to be a pain ...... please can you clarify what you mean here!?!? ..... as to how this relates to the topic in hand, or is this on another point?

Merlin hasn't posted on this topic, hence my query?

.... plus, although you are right in the fact I love TLT - I did not bring it in to this topic ..... (yet - tee hee!), nor the cost = ££££££ to me, rather than $$$$ so not sure how that relates too .......


look forward to receiving clarity ....

Yours the 'ever-confused' Nig

[Terry (existing)]

Nigel, no my comment re being professionals was not intended for anyone other than the poster. I constantly find myself wondering about the thoughts of those who post here with questions of that type. As for your own understanding of my comments, yes, I suppose it fair to wonder if I was reffering to you, since you were not apparently understanding my post, and though I was indeed, you will note that I did suggest it was due to skimming the post, not a lack of skill. However, since you read it properly as you state, it would seem that we are at impass. Thank you however for letting me know, it would seem that some do indeed misunderstand my intent, and I must expect to have feedback of this type in future.
Interesting though, that when I lecture, be it to adults or teens, I am rarely if ever misunderstood. Must be the other stimuli, such as facial expression etc I suppose. Or perhaps I automatically put then into trance state:eek:

[Poodle]

I was relating back to the usage of the word "cure" and to show you how it had been reframed to be almost equal to but not in that specific word. As to Merlin's comments, it was quite awhile back when you were not here.

[Nigel H]

Hi Terry - perhaps the reason you are sometimes misunderstood in writing is that the words we use are only estimated to be 7% of human communication - with the remainder made up & added through our tone of voice and physiology - hence any person speaking with you in person will have additional elements from which to understand your meaning - something the web does not allow on forums where written postings is the only method!

cheers

Nig

[Poodle]

I would suspect that Terry's body language is equal in every way to his words. He is one of the first to offer real help to those he knows are qualified to receive and understand it. He does not suffer fools well nor will he spoon feed. My admiration for him goes beyond words. Could be why some of us like to consider him as "dad". I personally read every word he writes and not just once. Years and years of wisdom in there.