Successful hypnosis for obesity

Abstract

Obesity is a major health problem, commonly resulting in diabetes, hypertension, cerebrovascular, cardiovascular disease and obstructive sleep apnoea. It is often treated with radical surgery. This can be avoided with hypnosis. Eight obese adults and three children have been treated successfully with hypnosis. Techniques include approaching underlying anxiety, reframing, reinforcement for healthy diet, discomfort with unhealthy diet and positive visualisation. Two cases of women in their mid-forties are discussed in detail. Both were apparently related to sexual abuse in childhood. They achieved reframing into their present selves from the child before the abuse, enjoying all aspects of eating and drinking appropriately and rejecting inappropriate diet, in a reasonable period and visualising removal of a ‘fat suit’, to achieve their desired weight loss. One was able to avoid surgery and the other achieved her goal, despite failed ‘lap band surgery’. Hypnosis is a viable, non-invasive method for treating obesity. All the above subjects have achieved or are achieving their desired weight loss.