Can you be hypnotised out of depression?

Hypnosis is now being proposed as an alternative to medication for many different indications: anaesthesia, stopping smoking, stopping alcohol abuse, post-traumatic disorders…and even depression.

Hypnotherapy has long been disparaged, not least in terms of its use in treating depression, yet now it is a booming field, with more and more GPs suggesting this treatment to their patients.

Hypnotherapists help patients break the vicious cycle of depression by inducing positive thoughts or even pleasant memories in their minds. Even if the hypnotised subject knows they did not really experience these induced memories in real life, they are still capable of visualising them after the session has ended.

In this way, the patient has the chance to reconnect with positive emotions and feelings. Though it’s never a guarantee you will get anything out of this treatment, it is definitely worth trying. If you do, however, just make sure you choose your hypnotherapist carefully, preferably one with a medical degree.