How to Hypnotize People Out of Depression

According to Dr. Michael Yapko, a clinician who has been successfully treating depression with hypnosis for 30 years, hypnosis can be very effective at relieving depressive symptoms. Dr. Yapko says that when it is used in conjunction with other treatments, it can also enhance their effectiveness. Hypnosis must be used correctly in order to properly treat depression. A properly trained professional will use certain steps to accomplish this.

Instructions

1. Discuss hypnosis with the patient to make sure she is really willing to try it and comfortable with the idea. A person cannot be placed into a hypnotic trance against her will. If she is nervous or tense, you will not be able to hypnotize her. This is why it's critical to make sure she is willing to go ahead with the process and is relaxed and comfortable.

2. Set goals with the patient prior to putting him into a trance. Depression can cause a variety of symptoms. You must target the symptoms that are causing the most problems in your patient's life. For example, you might choose lack of motivation and isolation as two problem areas and set a goal of increasing the patient's activity level and social contacts.

3. Create suggestions to be used during the trance. This should also be done with the patient's feedback. The suggestions should directly address the problem areas and should contain specific actions that the patient will take to combat the problems. For example, a suggestion for a patient who is isolating might be, "I will make contact with at least three people every day."

4. Put the person into a trance. The most commonly used method when using hypnosis to treat depression is a soothing voice method. You direct the person sit or lie down in a comfortable position. He closes his eyes and focuses on your voice as you instruct him to relax and use visualizations that lead him into a trance, such as slowly descending a staircase.

5. Implant the agreed-upon suggestions in the person's mind when she reaches a suggestible state. Use the "direct suggestion" method, stating, "You will make contact with at least three people every day," or whatever you previously agreed upon. A person cannot be made to do something against her will while she is hypnotized. That is why you should collaborate on the specific statements before putting her into a trance. Having her buy-in will make it more likely that the suggestions will be successful.

6. Bring the person out of the trance. This is usually accomplished through a reversal of the hypnosis process. For example, if you had the person mentally descend a staircase as you put him into the trance, have him climb the stairs as you bring him out.

7. Instruct the person to repeat the affirmations every morning and evening. This will reinforce them and make them more likely to work efffectively. Some patients may even wish to support your treatment with CDs for self-hypnosis.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are a professional who wished to use hypnosis to treat depression or other mental health issues, you should follow the guidelines of the American Psychiatric Association and the American Medical Association. Although most states don't regulate the practice of hypnosis, these guidelines will help you treat patients in an effective and ethical manner.

Resources

• Article on depression and hypnosis
• American Psychiatric Assocation
• American Medical Association