Single-session versus multi-session smoking hypnotherapy

An induction plus a stop-smoking suggestion is a method. How many visits a trial used is part of that method. It is not a booking offer.

Key evidence

Cochrane 2019 states that the included studies varied in the hypnotic method and could not be combined in a single meta-analysis. That variation includes dose. Treating “hypnosis for smoking” as one session count is the protocol chaos the hub names.

Carmody et al. (2008) delivered two 60-minute sessions, three follow-up phone calls, and two months of nicotine patches in both arms. That is a multi-contact behavioural package with pharmacotherapy, not a one-visit miracle.

Single-session marketing sits on the 90% claim page. The trials Cochrane kept do not underwrite that product.

Hypnotic susceptibility is a laboratory score. It is not a rule for how many clinic visits a smoker needs.

Limitations

This page does not run a new subgroup meta-analysis of “one visit versus many.” Cochrane did not publish that as a clean, high-certainty comparison.

What we don't know yet

Whether two sessions, six sessions, or a named script would beat intensive counselling in a large verified trial remains open.

This page is informational only. It is not personal medical advice.