Scientific Advisory Board on Psychotherapy

The informative article on treating tobacco dependence by Anil Batra includes an irritating comment about the efficacy of hypnosis. Batra writes: “The data on hypnosis and hypnotherapy are so inconsistent that their use cannot be recommended.” It seems to have completely escaped the attention of the author of the guideline and the author of the article that the Scientific Advisory Board on Psychotherapy (Wissenschaftlicher Beirat Psychotherapie, WBP) in its 2006 advisory opinion accepts that hypnotherapy is efficacious, by acknowledging four studies of smoking cessation. This expert opinion states on p 6:

“The Scientific Advisory Board on Psychotherapy has therefore acknowledged the efficacy of hypnotherapy for the following pathologies:

Dependencies and misuse (F1, F55 in ICD-10). Evidence is available only for smoking cessation and cessation of methadone treatment”.

The numerous uncontrolled studies are also at least promising. For example, the dissertation by C Schweizer (Tübingen University) (1) reported a rate of abstention of 48% at one-year catamnesis, compared with a rate of 25% for psychoeducational minimum treatment. 

DOI: 10.3238/arztebl.2012.0265a

Prof. Dr. rer. soc. Dirk Revenstorf

Universität Tübingen, drevenstor@aol.com

Conflict of interest statement

The author declares that no conflict of interest exists.