Can hypnosis really help with weight loss?

According to Mailin Colman, president of the Australian Hypnotherapists Association (AHA), hypnosis can work well for clients seeking help with weight loss; however, she points out that the virtual lap banding option isn’t suitable for everyone.

Virtual lap banding has been around for a few years and can work well for some people, but weight loss is complex and people’s motivations and triggers for eating or overeating can be very different. That’s where a good hypnotherapist will work with the client to work out where their issues lie.”

Lyndall Briggs, President of the Australian Society of Clinical Hypnotherapists (ASCH), says she has also had good success over the years with hypnosis for weight loss with her clients but concurs that the one size fits all treatment is not a good one. “Different approaches work for different clients,” she says. (See Sally’s story below.)

Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA) spokesperson Professor Clare Collins says there is surprisingly little research into hypnosis and weight loss, which she attributes to “a disconnect between the science and the practice”. She says studies in the past have had mixed results, and that they’re hard to do because you can’t blind-test subjects. She adds that a comprehensive review produced by Liverpool John Moores University in 2014 examined previous studies and the results. What the review found overall was that some people will benefit from hypnosis for weight loss when it’s used in conjunction with traditional weight management strategies and is used on a continuing basis (not just a one-off session). However, the review found that hypnosis was not effective on all people, and only worked well on those who were considered hypnosis-friendly and open to suggestion.

Collins says for those who do respond well; hypnosis can deal with negative self-talk and shortcut self-sabotage when it comes to diet, and it can help people who are overweight as a symptom of a past trauma.

Before we all rush off to make an appointment, though, Collins stresses that hypnosis alone is never going to be enough. “There may be other cognitive behavioural treatments that are more suitable for the individual (than hypnosis), and then there’s the same old advice; knowing what is healthy eating, changing food habits and exercise. You can’t just pin your hopes on hypnotism.”

A multi-pronged approach is best

According to Collins, the best approach to weight loss and the equally important challenge of keeping the weight off long-term requires a number of different therapies, practices and professionals being used collectively. She says many people looking to lose weight tend to bypass a full assessment by a dietitian, which is an important first step, and head straight for what looks like a quick-fix solution.

Weight loss is so complex, but so is maintaining weight loss. Therefore you need to approach the whole thing from different aspects to make it successful. There is diet and exercise, but there are also the psychological aspects that are important. Working out what the triggers and motivations are for being overweight are equally important,” she says.

Collins adds that seeking out counselling with a psychologist who can incorporate practices such as relaxation, mindfulness and hypnosis, can all be part of the solution. “Even for patients who decide to have real lap band surgery – there is often a waiting list – so while they wait, I always suggest trying out these other options as they may help to ensure success.”