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Br.J. Addict;
1973, Vol. 68, pp. 25-31. E. & S. Livingstone. Printed in Great Britain.
A Controlled Study of a Hypnotic Method
in the Treatment of Alcoholism, ivith
Evaluation by Objective Criteria
Nils O. Jacobson
and
N. Peter Silfversldoifl
From the Alcohol Clinic, MalmS General Hospital^ Malmo, Sweden. The authors are now at
the Dept. of Psychiatry, University of Ijoid HospiUdy Lund, Sweden.
The purpose of the study was to irwestigate the effect on alcoholics of a simple hypnotic treatment with suggestions
about indifference to alcohol and general well-being as a result qf sobriety.
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patients revised such treatment at
five seances and were compared during a six months* observation time with a non~hj^motic groi^ of
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patierUs,
who had r^:ewedpsychotherapy at fine visits. The groups were compared ivith ugard only to objectively measured
variables which indicated among other things inability to work and the need of medical care. JVb statistically
signifieant diffmnces tverefound between the groins, but the trend in the results is infavour of the hypnosis group.
The methodological diffiadUes are discussed.
Background
Hypnosis has been used in the treatment of alcoholism since the 19th century. Of
all the authors who recently have reported good results using this treatment only a
few have, however, done comparative studies with a control group. Different
methods for hypnotic treatment have been used. In a control study Edwards (1966)
suggested aversion to alcohol, finding no effect ofthe treatment. Langen (1967)
emphasized indifference to alcohol and Smith-Moorhouse (1969) suggested for a
general well-being as a result of sobriety. Hypnosis was also used in connection with
methods built on learning theories, the hypnosis then being only a way of reaching
deep relaxation, and of no importance as such (Kraft & Al-Issa 1967, 1968).
How is it then pcesible to know which alcoholics who have improved after
treatment, that is, drink less (if this is cht^en as a criterion) ? Just to ask the patient
gives no reliable information (Summers 1970). The basis for judging the results of
the treatment has also been varying. Edwards (1966) judged his patients once a
month for one year, but he does not indicate on whose statements the judgment is
based. Ashem & Donner estimated the patients as "sober" or "non-sober" for
six months after interviewing the patient and his closest relative. They do not
describe how they distinguished between the groups. Smith-Moorhousc (1969) put
his patients into three groups. For the best group "good results" he demanded
atuolute sobriety, that is not one drink during all tiie observation period up to two
years. He does not indicate how he can know that a patient has not been drinking at
all for two years.
The present investigation was designed to study the effect of a simple hypnotic
treatment, primarily suggesting indifference to alcohol. For six months after the
treatment a hypnotically treated group was compared to a control group with
to some objectively measured variables considered to mirror indirectly the
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