Hypnosis for Bulimia: A Controlled Trial
Oct 22, 2026The original paper
Griffiths RA, Hadzi-Pavlovic D, Channon-Little L. European Eating Disorders Review, 1994. A controlled evaluation of hypnobehavioural treatment for bulimia nervosa: Immediate pre-post treatment effects
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Summary
This controlled trial compared hypnobehavioural therapy — hypnosis combined with behavioural techniques — with cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), the standard treatment for bulimia, and with a waiting list.
Both active treatments reduced binge eating and purging compared with the waiting list, and the hypnosis-based approach performed about as well as CBT by the end of treatment. It was a small, early study, and the authors report the immediate effects of treatment.
Key finding
Hypnosis-based treatment reduced bulimic symptoms about as well as standard CBT.
Why this matters
Eating patterns are often tied to emotion, identity and old survival strategies. Hypnosis gives access to those deeper drivers. Eating disorders need specialist medical support — hypnosis works best alongside it, never instead of it.
Research is summarised in plain language for a general audience. Hypnotherapy and energy healing are complementary approaches and are not a substitute for medical or psychiatric care.