Effect of Hypnotherapy in Alcohol Use Disorder Compared to Motivational Interviewing.

This study was carried out at an inpatient clinic in Norway. A six- week long treatment programme included intensive group therapy, but also five hours of individual therapy, given as motivational interviewing (MI). Thirty-one patients were randomized either to receive five individual sessions of hypnotherapy instead of MI (N=16) or to be in the control group (N=15). The treatment method for the hypnotherapy group was Erickson's (permissive) hypnosis. At baseline all the participants were diagnosed using a psychiatric interview and filled in the Alcohol Use Identification Test (AUDIT), Time-line-follow-back (TLFB) for alcohol use, Hopkins Symptoms Check List (HSCL-25) for monitoring mental distress and Traumatic Life Events Questionnaire. AUDIT, TLFB and HSCL-25 were re-administered at follow-up after one year.