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Chapter 28: The Treatment of Hypertension With Hypnosis

DOI:

10.1891/9780826124876.0028

Authors

  • Jakubovits, Edit | 
  • Kekecs, Zoltán

Abstract

The most popular nonpharmacological techniques for managing hypertension are introducing a healthy diet, weight loss, exercise, decreased alcohol intake, and psychological interventions for stress and anxiety reduction. Hypnotherapy is a good candidate for directly delivering or supporting such nonpharmacological interventions. Hypnosis can also be used to target the risk factors of hypertension, such as obesity, anxiety, and stress. Several studies show that hypnosis can be effective to assist weight loss. Hypnotherapy has also been confirmed to reduce anxiety and stress, in some cases even more effectively than cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Hypertension is not painful and is usually unnoticed by the person suffering from it; while lifestyle and dietary changes for the management of hypertension require considerable effort, patients are often noncompliant. Thus, the importance of improving compliance and cooperation cannot be overstated. The hypnotherapist also has to work closely with the physician during the therapy.