Does anyone have any experience or knowledge about using hypnotherapy on a person with dementia, to help alleviate anxiety, for instance?
Hypnotherapy and dementia
- Thread starter CollegeGirl
- Start date
I remember this being discussed some time ago, but can't for the life of me remember what the outcome was. My understanding of Hypnosis ( based on Mum trying it for smoking a long time ago.... pre dementia) was that Hypnosis relies on concious willpower to assist implanted thought...ie. being able to tell oneself that eg this cigarette tastes horrid....therefore with Dementia concious thought might not be possible. If you do decide to try, please go to a licenced practitioner...ask your GP for help with chosing.
Thank you Maureen, that's a good point. It may be that it wouldn't work at all. Also there may be practical issues such as getting the person to sit for long enough, plus of course the issue of consent.
I just wondered, these issues aside, whether anyone had any experience of it,
as my dad has sometimes wondered whether it would be feasible.
I just wondered, these issues aside, whether anyone had any experience of it,
as my dad has sometimes wondered whether it would be feasible.
We also thought about hypnosis at one stage but as my mum has only a few seconds memory span, she would not retain anything. Not sure it would work unless in the very early stages of dementia, then it might.
Not with a PWD and anxiety, but my 14yo DD recently saw a clinical hypnotherapist for anxiety and trichtillomania ( hair pulling) as a result. It also required 3 sessions, a week apart. She has a relaxtion tape to listen to every day, and a longer hypnotherapy one once a week. It has had amazing results for my daughter.
To be honest I don't know how effective it would be for someone with dementia, as the process relies on them lying still, closing their eyes, listening to the hypnotherapist, and later being aware of the positive reinforcement statements when faced with anxiety to help overcome.
To be honest I don't know how effective it would be for someone with dementia, as the process relies on them lying still, closing their eyes, listening to the hypnotherapist, and later being aware of the positive reinforcement statements when faced with anxiety to help overcome.
Search for 'hypnotherapy' in the forums and you'll turn up a few previous threads. Mostly, though, they seem to consist of someone putting the question and not much in the way of informed responses - so, not memorable.
A cursory search outside turns up, for example:
Does Hypnotherapy Work?
http://www.agewatch.org.uk/mind/does-hypnotherapy-work/
... although a 'statistically significant' effect doesn't necessarily mean a 'large' effect. Try some further digging and see what you can find.
A cursory search outside turns up, for example:
Does Hypnotherapy Work?
http://www.agewatch.org.uk/mind/does-hypnotherapy-work/
... although a 'statistically significant' effect doesn't necessarily mean a 'large' effect. Try some further digging and see what you can find.
Thank you all for your very useful replies. I do think it's probably one of those unanswerable questions, or one of those 'you don't know unless you try' type of things.
I really can't see it helping my mam, as I think her dementia is too advanced, and her poor brain just doesn't work properly any more.
Combined with the practical difficulties mentioned above, I can't see how it could work, but dad has mentioned it a few times now so I thought I'd do some research and ask on here too.
I'll do some more digging, thanks for the info and the links.
I really can't see it helping my mam, as I think her dementia is too advanced, and her poor brain just doesn't work properly any more.
Combined with the practical difficulties mentioned above, I can't see how it could work, but dad has mentioned it a few times now so I thought I'd do some research and ask on here too.
I'll do some more digging, thanks for the info and the links.
