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Simpler psychological treatment is as effective as CBT for depression and is cheaper, study shows

BMJ 2016; 354 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.i4114 (Published 25 July 2016) Cite this as: BMJ 2016;354:i4114

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Clinical hypnotherapy for depression, anxiety, somatization syndromes

Cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy has demonstrated 70% enhanced treatment outcomes and long term remission compared to CBT alone, in meta-analysis of 18 relative studies.
Additionally, hypnosis sessions can also deal with associated phobias, substance abuse, eating disorders, low self esteem, social behavior patterns, motivation development, etc, commonly encountered in such patients, at the subconscious level.
Methods like reframing, ego reinforcement, releasing tension, taking responsibility, age progression, physical dissociation, metaphor, anchors, confusion techniques for facilitating specific amnesia, have profound long term impact.
Furthermore, overall necessary treatment with sessions of clinical hypnotherapy is much shorter than sessions of CBT.
It is good news that Behavioural Activation proved equally effective to CBT, but it would be great news if Clinical hypnotherapeutic sessions proved more effective than Behavioural Activation, in specifically designed comparative research studies against depression.
References
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7751482
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24660336
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22655331
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20183000
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11269629
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24837063

Competing interests: No competing interests

27 July 2016
Stavros Saripanidis
Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Thessaloniki, Greece