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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    Is hypnotherapy an effective treatment for anxiety/ocd?

    Related Topics
    Anxiety Mental Health Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
    Is hypnotherapy an effective treatment for anxiety/ocd? I have had many surgeries and loss in the last 10 years and feel that my anxiety/OCD has started since.
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  • Anthony Berrick

    Psychologist

    There is no doubt that hypnotherapy may be effective for some people, but like any treatment approach it will not work for everyone.

    The Australian Psychological Society publishes a scientific review of evidence-based psychological interventions (including hypnotherapy) for mental disorders every few years. In the latest edition, on the evidence for OCD interventions, it states:

    There is Level I evidence for cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) and Level II evidence for self-help (primarily CBT-based) in the treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) in adults. One study with a small sample size provided Level IV evidence for acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). In the current review, there was insufficient evidence to indicate that any of the remaining interventions were effective.

    N.B.: Level I is the highest level of evidence.

    So it's pretty clear that the evidence strongly supports CBT as an effective treatment for OCD. This is not to say that other approaches are not effective, just that there is currently insufficient evidence (i.e. large, scientific studies) to demonstrate their effectiveness.

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