Hypnosis for Alcohol: How It Works
Contents
What Is Hypnosis For Alcohol?
If you want to stop drinking altogether, just reduce your alcohol intake, or gain more control over your drinking habits, hypnosis can be a useful tool to support these changes. Rather than relying on willpower alone, hypnosis helps reinforce motivation, change unhelpful responses and reinforce new healthy habits.
Drinking alcohol can become closely associated with certain routines and situations in life. Hypnosis can help you adjust those automatic responses that keep the habit behaviors repeating and can help reinforce your commitment to change.
On this page you’ll learn how hypnosis for alcohol works, what the research says, how to use self hypnosis and how to find the right approach for you.
Looking for a hypnosis recording? Browse our complete collection of Alcohol Hypnosis Downloads to compare all recordings for reducing or stopping alcohol.
Can Hypnosis Help You Stop Drinking or Reduce Alcohol?
Yes. Hypnosis can be a powerful tool for people who want to reduce their alcohol intake, gain control over alcohol or stop drinking altogether. Hypnosis works through focusing your attention and using positive hypnotic suggestions that reinforce your decision and help change habit responses.
Drinking can become a habit that becomes automatic with time, so you find that you want a drink when certain circumstances arise, such as after a stressful day or when socializing. Hypnosis for alcohol control is designed to help you change those reactions, breaking the habit patterns and responding differently, instead of automatically wanting alcohol.
Hypnosis may be helpful for people who want to reduce how much they drink, feel more in control of alcohol in general or stop drinking alcohol completely. One thing that is very important is your willingness to change, because hypnosis only works if you truly want the change you are aiming for.
How Does Hypnosis for Alcohol Work?
If drinking alcohol has become a regular habit it may have become automatic to reach for a drink at certain times. These subconscious habits can be changed and the triggers adjusted so that instead of wanting to drink alcohol you choose to have alcohol free drinks or a coffee or tea. For some people, stress is a trigger for them, and our alcohol hypnosis audios are designed to be deeply relaxing to help address this side of the problem too.
Hypnosis is very physically relaxing and mentally and emotionally calming. It works by focusing your attention on the changes you are making while you relax deeply. These hypnosis session for alcohol control include techniques such as positive visualizations, future pacing and post-hypnotic suggestions that are designed to help you mentally rehearse new responses, helping you change the habit of drinking alcohol.
Regular listening is important with hypnosis because the repetition helps reinforce the suggestions, and this is helpful for changing habits.
What Does Research Say About Hypnosis for Alcohol?
Research specifically investigating hypnosis for alcohol problems is limited currently. However, research into hypnosis broadly, does demonstrate measurable changes in brain activity during hypnosis. A Stanford Medical study looked at changes in brain activity during hypnosis and identified differences in areas of the brain where internal and external information is processed. Read more about the Stanford research on hypnosis.
Is Hypnosis Right for Everyone?
Many people find hypnosis very helpful but it is essential that you have a true desire to change. Hypnosis won’t work if you don’t want to make the changes. If you genuinely want to stop drinking or drink less alcohol and you are willing to listen regularly, you are much more likely to get a good result from hypnosis.
Sometimes people purchase a hypnosis recording for someone else and this can be problematic for something like cutting down on alcohol because the decision needs to come from them, not a well meaning partner, relative or friend. Using hypnosis if you have no real intention of changing your drinking habits, is unlikely to be helpful.
People respond differently to hypnosis and while some people go into a relaxed hypnotic state easily, others can need a little practice to relax fully and let go. This is certainly nothing to be concerned about, practicing will help, because, as you become more familiar with the process it will be easier to relax, have a deeper experience and focus on the suggestions.
If you are dependent on alcohol or think you have an addiction, seek advice from your GP or other healthcare professional before making significant changes to your drinking. You may want to use hypnosis alongside medical help or advice.
What Are the Benefits of Reducing or Stopping Alcohol?
Cutting down on alcohol or stopping drinking can have a number of positive effects on your health and wellbeing. Sometimes people think alcohol helps them sleep, but while it can initially help you fall asleep you tend to wake up more, your sleep is more likely to be disrupted and of lower quality. Drinking less alcohol can help you to sleep better and feel more refreshed and energized when you wake.
You may find that you have more energy in general, you may feel in a better mood, feel happier and you may even notice that you look healthier too, as any people see their skin showing improvement and looking healthier. You may also enjoy the fact that you are saving money by drinking less or stopping altogether.
How to Get the Best Results From Alcohol Hypnosis
If you have decided that you want to drink less alcohol it is helpful to decide when you will drink and when you will not. Whether you are going to drink less or cut out alcohol altogether it helps if you listen to the hypnosis regularly.
Use one or more of the hypnosis sessions each day if you can and continue doing this for 3 to 4 weeks. Use headphones or earbuds if you can as this helps focus your mind fully on the hypnosis experience and less likely to be distracted. If you don’t use headphones, listen in a quiet place where you will be undisturbed.
Hypnosis works by putting you into a trance state where you feel relaxed and comfortable. You may feel like you will fall asleep during the session and when you wake up, you will feel more relaxed. Hypnosis can be an effective way to help control cravings for alcohol. You can use self hypnosis to help you reduce alcohol intake in general, drink less when you do choose to indulge, or cut out alcohol completely.
Which Alcohol Hypnosis is Right For You?
This is for people who want to reduce how often they drink and moderate their alcohol intake
Designed for people who want to stop drinking completely, whether as a temporary measure or permanently.
For people who want to take control of quantity and stop overdrinking. This can be helpful for heavy drinking at social occasions.
If you are not sure which alcohol hypnosis is right for you read our complete Alcohol Hypnosis Guide to compare all alcohol hypnosis downloads and find the best option to match your goal.
Listen to a Free Alcohol Hypnosis Session
Listen to the hypnosis for alcohol reduction MP3 one or more times a day if possible for 3 weeks and then just use it if you need to. The full hypnosis download (or CD) includes a daytime track lasting about 25 minutes and sleep hypnosis which is about 35 minutes. Ideally listen to the hypnosis with headphones.
Explore the Full Drink Less Alcohol Recording
If you want to explore the full drink less alcohol self hypnosis, you can read the full description to find if this hypnosis may be helpful.
Perhaps you want to stop drinking during the week, drink less when you do choose to drink or know your limits better and take greater care on social occasions. This hypnosis is designed for people who want to generally reduce their alcohol intake, but not stop drinking completely.
The full product includes a daytime hypnosis session and a sleep track. If you are looking for help to stop drinking large amounts such as binge drinking you may find our binge drinking hypnosis helpful.
For more titles view the full A – Z Hypnosis Index, or visit the alcohol hypnosis hub
More Free Hypnosis Downloads
Among our selection of free hypnosis downloads we have included this hypnosis for alcohol reduction to help with drinking less alcohol. Using self hypnosis can help you to stick to decisions you have made such as to drink less alcohol. You can listen to this hypnosis audio right here on this page. If you get the hypnosis download you can then listen to it on your computer or smartphone any time you like.
How Hypnotizable Are You?
Some people are more hypnotizable than others, what may work for some will not necessarily work for others. If you’re curious about how hypnotizable you might be, why not take the Hypnosis Quiz and find out how hypnotizable you are.
How to Use Self Hypnosis Successfully
If you’re ready to start using your hypnosis download for alcohol reduction or to stop drinking:
- Decide on Your Goal: Are you cutting down or stopping altogether, if cutting down decide in advance what days will you drink.
- Set the Date: Choose a start date that works for you.
- Listen Regularly: Listen to one or more tracks on your hypnosis recording every day for 3 to 4 weeks.
- Reduce Distractions: Use headphones where possible or listen somewhere quiet where you won’t be disturbed.
- Remember Your Reasons: Remind yourself of the benefits of reducing or stopping alcohol and why you are doing this.
- Be patient: Give yourself time to become familiar with the hypnosis as your new habits develop.
Can Hypnosis Help With Alcohol Dependence?
If you are alcohol dependent (sometimes called alcoholism) please consult your doctor before making any significant changes to your drinking. If you have alcohol use disorder and are physically dependent it can be dangerous to suddenly stop. For more advice visit the NHS website. You can use hypnosis alongside treatment to help you cut down alcohol or give up drinking and it supports you in your goal by boosting motivation and determination.
Ready to Take the First Step?
Whether your goal is to cut down drinking, drink only on certain occasions or quit drinking completely, hypnosis can support these positive changes. Explore the alcohol hypnosis recordings below or browse our complete Alcohol Hypnosis Downloads Collection to find the right one for you. If you know what hypnosis recording you need you can visit the shop.
What helps reduce alcohol cravings?
Alcohol cravings can be triggered by habit, stress, emotions and certain situations, places or people. It is important to understand your own personal triggers if you want to take control of alcohol. Some people find it helpful to start a new healthy activity like exercise, meditation or a hobby. Hypnosis can help with alcohol cravings by reinforcing your motivation, reducing stress and helping new positive habits form to replace that drinking habit. Hypnosis can also help to stop the old triggers affecting you so much, while cravings may appear you may notice it is easier to manage. Listening to hypnosis can help as it passes.
How long does alcohol hypnosis take to work?
There is no set timescale for this because everyone is different. You may notice positive changes after only a few listens but some people find it builds gradually over the 3 to 4 weeks. For best results listen to one or more tracks each day for 3 to 4 weeks while sticking to your goal of drinking less or no alcohol.
Can I still drink while using alcohol hypnosis?
If you are using hypnosis to quit completely then you need to start listening to the hypnosis as soon as you quit drinking. You must then not give in to cravings and if you do find it difficult listen to the hypnosis again as it will help. If you are cutting down on alcohol or controlling binge drinking then you can still enjoy some alcohol but it is important to stick to the plan you set yourself so you can achieve your goal.
Can I use alcohol hypnosis with medical treatment?
Yes. Hypnosis can be used alongside appropriate medical care and treatment. If you are dependent on alcohol or have concerns about addiction it is important to speak to your doctor or GP before making significant changes to drinking.
How often should I listen to the alcohol hypnosis recording?
For best results listen to one or more sessions each day for 3 to 4 weeks. Most of our hypnosis sessions include a bedtime sleep hypnosis which can help with getting to sleep at night in the early days of reducing or quitting alcohol. Regular repetition of the hypnosis is important as it reinforces the effects. After 3 to 4 weeks have passed, listen to the recording any time you feel you could benefit from extra motivation or relaxation.
Rachael Eccles is the creator of over 740 hypnosis and meditation recordings and one of the UK's largest hypnosis and meditation audio catalogues. Since 2006, she has helped people worldwide through professional hypnosis, meditation and personal development recordings.
Rachael is an Advanced Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist with over 20 years' experience and is registered with the GHR, GHSC and CNHC.
Her work has been featured on BBC Radio, Hello! magazine and other media publications. She writes about hypnosis, meditation, wellbeing and personal development.