Hypnotherapy for Habits, Addictions and Excessive Drinking

The concept of "addiction" gives us a sense that we are completely powerless. The more favourable concept is "habit" which has more to do with our conditioning, which we can control and change with increased awareness, knowledge, skills and practice.

Using the approach of looking at our thinking processes, beliefs and characteristics, while becoming more self-aware and using hypnotherapy is an effective treatment programme for addictions and chronic habits.

Multi-Combination Programme

This treatment programme works effectively with many people who have drinking and drug problems that they want to change.

Understanding the process of change and recognising the stages of changing a habit is important in applying any effort to being successful. Using a combining of different techniques like hypnotherapy, relaxation, looking at your beliefs and values, your personality and character traits helps to prevent relapse.

What is a Habit?

A habit is quite simply a practised, characteristic behaviour done often with ease which gives relief of stress, anxiety, emotional distress, agitation or boredom/restlessness, which becomes automatic and then difficult to stop.

Our lives are made up of habits. Almost everything we do involves the use of habitual behaviour. Think about it. You get up in the morning and use habits to get ready to start the day. Otherwise, you would have to relearn everything you do everyday – combing your hair, brushing your teeth, dressing, cooking breakfast and even pouring a cup of tea.

Daily habits might seem easier to change, but what about those nervous habits that relieve anxiety and boredom?

Nervous Habits

Nervous habits are those that serve no social function and you dislike; nail biting, rattling coins or keys in pockets, skin picking, toe tapping, pencil drumming, knee bouncing, twitches, etc.

The list is endless from gambling to smoking, snacking and excessive drinking/drug taking. Just about everybody has a nervous habit. For most people these habits are unlikely to irritate or offend. However, for some of us they can cause quite a few problems, both for us and other people.

Habitual Thoughts and Thinking (automatic thoughts)

Most people think habits are just behaviours but our thoughts can also become habits. Sometimes it is our habitual thinking that can keep habitual behaviours going and make them hard to change.

For example, if we are nervous, upset, or worried, past experience tells us that eating “comfort food” will help us feel better. Then after indulging we might think, “Well, I’ve blown it, I may as well give up the diet and eat what I want.” We can also think, “I am weak and useless because I can’t control my eating.”

We call these “automatic thoughts.” They are less conscious and we tend to be especially deaf to our thoughts that lead to habitual behaviours. It appears that we just act, but in reality, we think and then we act. If you stop and listen, you’ll find that you can change them. Listen and you will become aware of what you are telling yourself.

Alternatively, talking to a friend or family member, or a professional about changing an unhelpful habit, can assist you in becoming more conscious of the automatic thoughts and help you to change the behaviour.

The Treatment Programme Includes;

4Learning self-hypnosis to increase relaxation and build confidence
4The stages and process of habit/addiction change
4Cognition therapy, how automatic thoughts effect habits
4Challenging negative beliefs and replacing with positive beliefs
4Discovering personality types and personality traits
4Internal and External worlds and control
4How anxiety and stress effect us
4Goal setting and new postive behaviours
4Visualisation of negative trigger situations/emotions and rehearsing alternative positive responses to create a new automatic response


The length of Treatment depends on the depth of the habit usually between four to seven sessions.

E-mail: stephen@spalding-hypnotherapy.co.uk