A Retrospective Outcome Study and Review of Hypnosis as Treatment of Adults with Sleepwalking and Sleep Terror

Abstract

Hypnosis has been described anecdotally to be effective in the treatment of sleepwalking and sleep terror, potentially dangerous parasomnias. The authors report the use of hypnosis in the treatment of 27 adult patients with these disorders. A total of 74% of these individuals reported much or very much improvement when followed over substantial periods after instruction in self-hypnotic exercises that were practiced in the home. Hypnosis, often preferred over pharmacotherapy by patients, required one to six office visits (mean=1.6). This represents a very cost-effective and noninvasive means of treatment, especially when constrasted with lengthy psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy.