Is Hypnotherapy an Effective Treatment for Depression?

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this EBM paper is to determine whether or not hypnotherapy is an effective treatment for depression.STUDY DESIGN: Review of two English language randomized controlled trials and one case study published in 2007, 2009, and 2010.DATA SOURCES: Two randomized controlled trials and one case study reviewing the effectiveness of hypnotherapy on depression were found using PubMed, Medline, and CINAHL.OUTCOMES MEASURED: Depression was measured through the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI- II), which is a 21-question multiple choice self-report inventory based on scores of 0-63, with higher scores signifying more severe depressive symptoms. Anxiety was measured through the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and hopelessness was measured through the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS).RESULTS: In a randomized controlled trial by Alladin and Alibhai, hypnotherapy produced significant improvement in BDI-II, BAI, and BHS scores from baseline. In another study by Dobbin et al, hypnotherapy was significantly more effective than antidepressant treatment on depression. A case study by Loriedo and Torti shifted the view of depression from an interpersonal view to include the role of family and cultural influences through hypnotherapy of the patient and their family, which resulted in a decrease of depressive symptoms.CONCLUSION: The results of the two randomized controlled trials and one case study demonstrate that hypnotherapy is an effective treatment for depression