Treatment of severe anxiety and social phobia by hypnosis and neurolinguistic programming- A Case Report

Abstract

Background: Hypnosis is being used in combination with different forms of psychotherapy nowadays, such as neuro-linguistic programming, to work as a complementary treatment. This pairing allows for more targeted and patient-specific approaches to treat psychological disorders, phobias, and pain. An example is our previous study, in which hypnosis was used to treat tobacco-pan addiction. Following a similar model in this case study, we investigate the effectiveness of hypnosis and neuro-linguistic programming as treatments for anxiety and phobias.             

Case Presentation: We discuss a case of a 20-year-old boy with severe anxiety and social phobia who was already taking antipsychotic drugs and antidepressants, but they did not aid in treating his condition. He was then treated with hypnotherapy and neuro-linguistic programming to address the rooted triggers for his phobia. A thorough three-hour session revealed the details of each traumatic event. Each incident was isolated and changed in the patient's subconscious mind while he was hypnotized to remove that incident's role as a trigger.

Management & Results: The patient reported approximately seventy percent recovery immediately after the first session in terms of rebuilding his confidence. The recovery was measured on DASS-21 and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). The severity of his phobia was significantly controlled in a short-span of time, with almost no episode after the first hypnosis and NLP session.                       

Conclusion: Hypnotherapy and neurolinguistic programming is an effective treatment for anxiety disorder and social phobia. It is also time-efficient and produces better results than other forms of treatment without accompanying side effects.