HYPNOTHERAPY FOR SLEEP DISTURBANCE AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS IN INDIAN WOMEN WITH FIBROMYALGIA SYNDROME: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY

Abstract

Hypnotherapy has been explored as a supportive therapeutic modality for fibromyalgia syndrome (FM), particularly for associated symptoms such as poor sleep quality and depression. Indian clinical literature in this area remains limited. The present paper reports an exploratory study examining changes observed following a brief hypnotherapy-based intervention in women diagnosed with fibromyalgia syndrome. Twenty female participants (n = 20), divided into a control group (n = 10) and an intervention group (n = 10), were assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory-II and the Sleep Quality Scale. The intervention group received a six-week hypnotherapy protocol based on modern Ericksonian techniques, while the control group continued treatment as usual. Post-intervention findings indicated observable reductions in sleep disturbance and depression scores among participants receiving hypnotherapy, while minimal variation was observed in the control group. Larger controlled studies are recommended to further examine the potential clinical utility of hypnotherapy for fibromyalgia-related symptoms.