The Use Of Hypnotherapy In Bipolar Disorder

For bipolar sufferers interested in a balanced approach to their treatment, the use of hypnotherapy in bipolar disorder is well worth trying. As a complementary therapy which depends almost entirely on the attitude of the bipolar patient, hypnotherapy will not suit everyone. If a patient is convinced that they will not enter hypnotic trance, then sending them to a hypnotherapist will be a waste of everyone’s time.

It is a well researched fact that no one can be hypnotized into doing anything they don’t want to – and that includes being hypnotized. For patients who adhere to their prescribed medication regime and are open to trying complementary therapies for managing their condition, then the use of hypnotherapy in bipolar disorder can certainly be a worthwhile exercise.

What Is Bipolar Disorder?

Jimi Hendrix wrote a popular rock song about bipolar disorder, called Manic Depression. These days, the term “manic depression” is not widely used and the condition is now called bipolar disorder or bipolar depression. It is a serious and potentially dangerous form of depression which will only get worse if left untreated. Anyone diagnosed with bipolar disorder needs treatment immediately – not only are they a danger to others, they are a serious danger to themselves.

One famous sufferer of bipolar disorder was the late great genius of comedy, Spike Milligan. He would swing rapidly from highs where he felt invincible and could produce scripts at lightning rate, then crash to such depths he would try to kill himself and anyone around him. No one knows whether he tried the use of hypnotherapy in bipolar disorder, but his autobiography, co-written with his psychiatrist, suggests otherwise.

How Hypnotherapy in Bipolar Disorder Helps

Medication alone cannot “cure” any kind of depression, let alone a serious condition like bipolar disorder. A successful management regime for bipolar needs regular medication combined with some sort of cognitive behavioral therapy. Behavioral therapies are techniques and strategies that aim to reprogram the mental chatter we all do in our heads.

This is the best use of hypnotherapy in bipolar disorder. When the patient recognizes familiar symptoms or feels suicidal, their minds can automatically remind them of suggestions planted in them during hypnotic trance. “This feeling will pass,” might be a good suggestion to fall back on in these critical times.

While it is certainly possible for anyone to learn self-hypnosis, the best use of hypnotherapy in bipolar disorder is to consult with a professional licensed hypnotherapist. Experienced professionals can not only perform hypnotherapy correctly, they can also recognize if the patient might be a poor candidate for hypnotherapy, no matter how good the patient’s intentions are.

Patients can also develop an abnormal reliance on the hypnotherapist, and in this instance, an experienced professional will know when it is definitely time to stop the hypnotherapy.

At the time of writing, there is no evidence for hypnosis, as such, as part of a treatment for bipolar disorder. However, the use of hypnotherapy in bipolar disorder has one big advantage over many no-evidence treatments available today. With the exception of cost to the hip pocket, it is unlikely to make the person worse or present any long-term risks.

So there you have it. Whilst the jury is still out on the effectiveness of the use of hypnotherapy in bipolar disorder patients, bipolar disorder is such a mystery that any complementary treatment without obvious side effects should be hotly pursued!