Treating anxiety with self‐hypnosis and relaxation

Abstract

The outcome and process of treating subclinical anxiety with self‐hypnosis and relaxation were compared. Twenty individuals who presented for treatment for ‘stress, anxiety, and worry’ were assessed (for anxiety and self‐hypnotizability), exposed to a 28‐day treatment programme (which involved daily measures of outcome and process variables), and re‐assessed (for anxiety). It was found that both self‐hypnosis and relaxation alleviated anxiety pre‐ to post‐treatment. Although there was no difference in the outcome data, throughout treatment self‐hypnosis rather than relaxation was associated with a greater sense of treatment efficacy and expectation and with a greater sense of cognitive and physical change. The findings are discussed in terms of the expectational and experiential aspects of self‐hypnosis, and their potential role in the perception, progress and impact of using self‐hypnosis in therapy. Copyright © 1999 British Society of Experimental and Clinical Hypnosis

Clinical applications of self-hypnosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

“…All three studies had participants practice the selfhypnosis skills more than three times following initial training. O'Neill, Barnier, and McConkey (1999) noted that participants in the self-hypnosis group exhibited a greater sense of expectation, treatment efficacy, and overall change cognitively and behaviorally, compared with participants in the relaxation group, which buttresses a case for self-hypnosis advancing self-efficacy. When treating stress, anxiety, or hypertension there is good evidence that self-hypnosis is effective both when selfhypnosis is defined as a hetero-hypnosis precursor plus audiotape-based individual sessions and when it involves multiple self-directed self-hypnosis training sessions.…”

Using Hypnosis in the Treatment of Anxiety Disorders: Pros and Cons

“…However, the hypnosis group surpassed the relaxation group on cognitive changes and perceptions of treatment efficacy [125]. Indeed, the hypnosis patients reported superior expectations of the success of therapy [125]. A closer look at the procedures revealed that the content of the instructions given to both groups were very similar.…”

“…At a one month follow-up, both groups indicated significant improvement on the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI-State and Trait) but no significant difference was found between these two groups on the BAI. However, the hypnosis group surpassed the relaxation group on cognitive changes and perceptions of treatment efficacy [125]. Indeed, the hypnosis patients reported superior expectations of the success of therapy [125].…”

“…Mixed results [123][124][125][126] Good outcome [127] Improvement but no indication that hypnosis as a sole treatment is more efficacious than other methods or no treatment, except for one study [124].…”

The use of virtual reality hypnosis with two cases of autism spectrum disorder: a feasibility study

“…Hypnosis is a therapeutic tool that incorporates relaxation along with other treatment components, including imagery, self-suggestion and desensitisation (O'Neill, Barnier and McConkey, 1999;Evans and Corman, 2003). O'Neill and colleagues (1999: 71) describe hypnosis as 'a state of intense relaxation and concentration, where the mind becomes detached from everyday cares and concerns.…”