Does Hypnosis Work for Anxiety?
Does Hypnosis Work for Anxiety? The Short Answer
Does hypnosis work for anxiety? For many people, yes. It doesn’t work for everyone, and it isn’t a cure. Studies show hypnosis can lower anxiety. The strongest results involve anxiety tied to a specific situation, like an upcoming medical procedure. Hypnosis also tends to work better alongside talk therapy than on its own.
Hypnosis can reduce anxiety for many people, according to a 2019 meta-analysis of 17 controlled trials. The strongest evidence involves anxiety tied to a specific situation, such as a medical procedure. Hypnosis also tends to work better combined with talk therapy such as CBT. Hypnosis is not a replacement for care when anxiety is severe.
In research, “works” means something specific. People who got hypnosis reported lower anxiety scores than similar people who didn’t. That is an average across many people. Some respond strongly and some barely respond at all. Think of hypnosis as a tool that lowers symptoms, not a cure.
What Hypnosis for Anxiety Is (and Isn't)
The American Psychological Association’s hypnosis division (Division 30) has an official definition. It describes hypnosis as a state of focused attention and reduced awareness of your surroundings, in which you respond more readily to suggestions. A suggestion is simply an idea the practitioner offers, such as “your shoulders can soften with each breath.”
Hypnosis vs. Hypnotherapy vs. Self-Hypnosis
- Hypnosis is the focused state itself.
- Hypnotherapy is the use of hypnosis to treat a medical or psychological concern.
- Self-hypnosis means guiding yourself into that state without a therapist, often with a recording or a routine your practitioner teaches you. The limited evidence suggests self-hypnosis for anxiety works best when learned with a practitioner first: in one review of people with cancer, therapist-led hypnosis plus self-hypnosis worked better than self-hypnosis alone.
So when people ask whether hypnotherapy works for anxiety, they mean hypnosis used as treatment.
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Three Common Myths
- “It’s like a stage show.” A clinical session is goal-focused. It usually opens with a conversation about your goals, your past experience with hypnosis, and any misconceptions you have.
- “You’ll lose control.” You won’t. Mayo Clinic notes that people keep control of their behavior during hypnosis, usually stay aware, and remember what happens afterward.
- “You’ll be asleep.” The hypnotic state is defined by focused attention, not sleep.
What the Research Shows
Research on hypnosis for anxiety is mostly positive but uneven. A 2019 meta-analysis found the average person who received hypnosis reduced anxiety more than about 79% of people in comparison groups. Evidence is strongest for anxiety around medical procedures, and many older studies were small or lower in quality.
The Main Study, in Plain English
A key study is a 2019 meta-analysis by Valentine and colleagues. A meta-analysis pools results from many studies to get a clearer overall answer. This one combined 17 trials from 15 studies that compared hypnosis against a control condition.
The researchers reported an effect size. An effect size is a number that shows how big the difference between groups was.
- At the end of treatment: the effect size was 0.79, meaning the average person who got hypnosis reduced anxiety more than about 79% of people in the control groups.
- At the longest follow-up: seven trials showed an effect size of 0.99, or better than about 84% of control participants.
Keep those two numbers separate. The 84% figure comes from fewer trials at a later time point, and the two are sometimes mixed up.
Where the Evidence Is Strongest (and Where It Is Thin)
|
Type of anxiety |
What the research shows |
Strength |
|
Before or during medical and dental procedures |
Reviews found medium to large reductions in distress, including anxiety. Mayo Clinic also notes hypnosis may ease anxiety before medical or dental procedures |
Strongest |
|
Cancer-related anxiety |
Reviews reported large effects on anxiety in people with cancer |
Strong |
|
Test and exam anxiety |
Three small trials each found less test anxiety with hypnosis than with control groups. One found no difference versus systematic desensitization |
Promising |
|
Phobias |
Mixed results across six trials, including dental phobia |
Mixed |
|
General or unspecified anxiety |
Mixed results across three trials in a 2007 review |
Mixed |
|
Trauma-related anxiety |
Two small trials: one favored hypnosis over a waitlist, while another found adding hypnosis to CBT gave no extra benefit. Later PTSD reviews included only 3 to 4 studies each |
Limited |
|
Diagnosed panic disorder or GAD |
Not reported separately in the reviews cited here |
Unclear: ask your clinician |
Hypnosis Works Best as Part of a Plan
The 2019 meta-analysis found hypnosis reduced anxiety more when combined with other psychological treatments than when used alone.
A 2024 umbrella review looked at 49 meta-analyses. An umbrella review is a review of reviews. It found that adding hypnosis to CBT may boost results, especially when the hypnosis builds in CBT principles. It also noted one comparison where hypnosis plus CBT did not beat CBT alone for anxiety. So the extra benefit is likely but not guaranteed.
Why Some Reviews Disagree
A 2007 systematic review of 14 trials concluded there was not enough evidence to support hypnosis for anxiety. Most of those trials were small and of low methodological quality. Later meta-analyses pooled more trials and reached more positive conclusions. Quality is still a concern, though. The 2024 umbrella review rated only nine of its 49 meta-analyses as high quality, and results varied a lot between studies.
How Hypnosis May Ease Anxiety
Researchers don’t have a single explanation for how hypnosis works. Studies point to a mix of factors: brain activity, expectations, how responsive a person is to hypnosis, and the relationship with the practitioner.
In practice, an anxiety-focused session usually combines several elements:
- Slow, focused breathing and relaxation
- Guided imagery, such as picturing yourself calm in a situation you usually dread
- Suggestions for new, calmer responses
- Posthypnotic suggestions, which are cues meant to shape what you do or feel after the session ends
People also differ in hypnotizability, which means how readily they respond to hypnotic suggestions. Across reviews, higher hypnotizability was the one factor consistently linked with better results.
Is Hypnosis Right for Your Anxiety? A Quick Fit Check
Hypnosis for anxiety is a reasonable option for everyday or situation-specific anxiety if you’re open to trying it. With a diagnosed anxiety disorder, involve your treating clinician. Mayo Clinic notes hypnosis may not be safe for some people with severe mental illness, so get psychiatric advice first.
Reasonable to try:
- Anxiety tied to a specific event, such as a procedure, exam, or performance
- Everyday stress and worry you want new coping tools for
- You’re already in therapy and want an add-on
- You’re willing to practice between sessions
Talk to your doctor or therapist first:
- You have a diagnosed anxiety disorder, such as panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), or PTSD
- You take medication for anxiety
- You have physical symptoms, like chest pain or a racing heart, that a doctor hasn’t checked
- You want to work through past trauma
Get psychiatric advice before trying hypnosis:
- You have a severe mental illness, such as a history of psychosis, schizophrenia, or a dissociative disorder
- You have current thoughts of suicide or self-harm. Call or text 988 now.
Mayer’s recommendation: Treat hypnosis as a tool you add to good care, not a substitute for it. If your anxiety is mild or situational, hypnotherapy is a reasonable first step. If it is diagnosed or severe, keep your current treatment and ask your clinician about adding hypnosis.
For everyday stress, Mayer offers hypnotherapy for stress reduction and counseling support.
Is Hypnosis Safe? Risks and Who Should Avoid It
Mayo Clinic considers hypnosis safe when a trained therapist provides it, though it may not be safe for some people with severe mental illness. A 2018 analysis of registered trials found no serious adverse events caused by hypnosis. Rare reactions include dizziness, headache, nausea, and distress.
In that 2018 analysis, reported in the 2024 umbrella review, other adverse events occurred in under half of one percent of 429 participants. Reviews also describe isolated cases. One person felt slightly dizzy after the first session, and another left a study after a panic attack during hypnosis. Safety data is incomplete, too. Fewer than half of the reviewed meta-analyses reported on harms at all.
To lower your risk:
- Work with a licensed health professional who has hypnosis training.
- Share your full health history and medications before your first session.
- Agree ahead of time on your goals and the kinds of suggestions you’re comfortable with.
- Ask how to pause or stop a session if you feel uncomfortable.
If you want to work on painful past events, be cautious. Mayo Clinic warns that using hypnosis to revisit earlier stressful events can trigger strong emotional reactions, and that treatments such as CBT are generally more helpful for past stress and trauma. Talk with a clinician trained in trauma care.
What a Hypnotherapy Session for Anxiety Looks Like
-
Clinical hypnosis usually follows a similar structure, as summarized in the 2024 umbrella review:
- Pre-hypnosis conversation. The practitioner asks about your goals and past experience, clears up myths, and answers questions.
- Induction. You focus your eyes or close them, pay attention to your breathing, and begin to relax.
- Deepening. Further suggestions build on that calm.
- Therapeutic suggestions. The practitioner offers suggestions tied to your goals, such as staying steady before a stressful meeting.
- Posthypnotic cues and re-alerting. You get cues to use later, then return to full alertness.
Does Online Hypnotherapy for Anxiety Work?
Many practitioners think so. In an international survey of nearly 700 practitioners, summarized in the 2024 umbrella review, almost two-thirds used video sessions, and most of those rated remote sessions as effective as in-person ones. That is practitioner opinion, not trial evidence. The Hypnosis Zone offers telehealth sessions via Zoom and WhatsApp video.
How to Choose a Qualified Hypnotherapist in the US
Hypnosis training and a state health license are two separate things to check. Among the nearly 700 practitioners surveyed, clinical psychologists were the most common profession.
Use this checklist:
- Look for a state health license, such as a psychologist, licensed mental health counselor, clinical social worker, or physician.
- Verify it on your state licensing board’s website. Mayo Clinic suggests asking directly: “Are you licensed in your specialty in this state?”
- For online sessions, ask whether they can legally see clients in your state.
- Ask about their hypnosis training, for example through a professional body such as the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, and how they use it for anxiety.
- Ask how you’ll track progress and when they would refer you elsewhere.
- Walk away from guarantees. “Cured in one session” is a red flag.
As an example, Mayer is licensed in New York and New Jersey and holds a Florida telehealth provider registration.
When to Get Help Right Away
Hypnosis is not a crisis tool. If you are thinking about suicide, feel unsafe, or your anxiety feels overwhelming, call or text 988. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline connects you with trained crisis counselors 24/7. You can also reach out if you’re worried about someone else. For a medical emergency, call 911.
Ready to See If Hypnotherapy Can Help?
If you’ve wondered whether hypnosis works for anxiety in your own life, a consultation is a low-pressure way to find out. The Hypnosis Zone offers online hypnotherapy for stress reduction. Counseling is also available alongside or instead of hypnosis. Sessions are available to clients in New York, New Jersey, and Florida.
Not sure yet? A free 10-minute phone consultation is available before your first session.
Please keep sensitive health details out of the website contact form. They can be discussed later through a more secure method.
About the author: Mayer Chemtob, MS, LMHC, BCH, holds counseling licenses in New York and New Jersey and is a National Guild of Hypnotists (NGH) Board Certified Hypnotist. He provides hypnotherapy and counseling for stress reduction, sleep, smoking cessation, weight loss, and healthier habits through The Hypnosis Zone.
( DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS )
Common Questions About Hypnotherapy
No. Hypnosis is not a cure, and you should be wary of anyone who promises one. Studies show it can lower anxiety symptoms, especially alongside talk therapy. Think of it as one part of a wider treatment plan.
There is no standard number. In research, the number and length of sessions varied widely between trials. Your goals, the type of anxiety, and how responsive you are to hypnosis all play a role.
No strong evidence shows hypnotherapy beats CBT for anxiety. Few studies compare hypnosis directly with established treatments, and clinicians typically suggest CBT before or alongside it. Research supports hypnosis as an add-on, since it tends to work better combined with other psychological treatments.
Often, yes, though not everyone responds equally. Mayo Clinic notes some people can't enter hypnosis deeply enough for it to work well. Sessions usually begin with the practitioner explaining the process and your goals, which may ease first-session nerves.