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Comparison of the Effect on Anxiety of Combining Hypnosis and Aromatherapy Through Olfactory Anchoring Versus Standard Care in Patients Undergoing Alcohol Withdrawal

Randomized Trial Comparing the Effect on Anxiety of Combining Hypnosis and Aromatherapy Through Olfactory Anchoring Versus Standard Care in Patients Undergoing Alcohol Withdrawal

Status
Not yet recruiting
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT07444255
Acronym
ASHA
Enrollment
80
Registered
2026-03-02
Start date
2026-03-01
Completion date
2029-05-01
Last updated
2026-03-06

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Alcohol Withdrawal, Anxiety

Brief summary

According to a meta-analysis published in 2019, hypnosis has demonstrated positive effects in the treatment of certain mental illnesses, particularly anxiety. This technique aims to put the subject into a particular state of consciousness conducive to therapeutic action. The safe place in hypnosis is the basis for anxiety relief work, the first step towards the use of hypnotic metaphors. Smell is an excellent way to stimulate the imagination in creating this safe place. Anchoring allows the effects of a hypnosis session to be reactivated, enabling the subject to re-experience its benefits through tactile stimulation, a key word, or an image. The investigators use olfactory stimulation as a hypnotic anchor while also utilizing the anxiolytic properties of essential oils. While there are already studies on the use of hypnosis or aromatherapy in the treatment of patients who use psychotropic drugs, no study to date has focused on their combined use. The innovative aspect of this treatment lies in the prolongation and reinforcement of the effect of the hypnosis session through olfactory stimulation. The literature shows that memories triggered by a smell have the ability to materialize physiologically in the areas of the brain that process spatial and temporal information. This is also a goal that hypnosis aspires to achieve. The investigators hypothesize that the use of these two tools in formalized, time-limited nursing interviews can provide patients in the complex withdrawal unit with the means to reduce their anxiety in the short and medium term.

Interventions

OTHERUsual treatment

Withdrawal care provided according to standard practice

Treatment for withdrawal using hypnosis and aromatherapy

Sponsors

University Hospital, Strasbourg, France
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Patients aged 18 or over * Patients hospitalized in an addiction unit for acute alcohol withdrawal and suffering from anxiety disorders * Patients affiliated with a social security health insurance scheme, beneficiaries or dependents * Patients who speak/read French, are able to understand the objectives and risks associated with the research, and can give dated and signed informed consent * Patients who adhere to complementary therapies * For women of childbearing age, patients for whom the beta HCG test (urine or blood, performed routinely) is negative and who are using effective contraception.

Exclusion criteria

* Allergy(ies)/contraindication(s) to essential oils selected for the project * Patients with psychosis or complex psychological trauma * Anosmia, hyposmia, or other olfactory disorders limiting the quality of smell * Asthma * Ear, nose and throat pathology(ies) contraindicating essential oils in olfaction * Skepticism regarding the effectiveness of hypnosis and aromatherapy * Patient under guardianship/curatorship * Patients excluded from a previous or ongoing study * Patients in an emergency or life-threatening situation * Patients under legal guardianship * Patients who have already participated in this study * Pregnancy * Breastfeeding

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frame
Change of anxiety disorders as assessed by the Hamilton Anxiety Scale between the start and end of the patient's hospitalization.Day 0 and Day 15

Countries

France

Contacts

CONTACTBenoît Lefeuvre
benoit.lefeuvre@chru-strasbourg.fr+33 88 11 66 53
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORBenoît Lefeuvre

Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Mar 7, 2026