The use of suggestion techniques with adolescents in the treatment of glue sniffing and solvent abuse.

1 Various approaches to the treatment of adolescents who have developed long-term chronic dependency on the inhalation of solvent fumes are briefly outlined with regard to their effectiveness. 2 The importance of suggestion in the counselling relationship is emphasized as a feature which underlies the work of therapists from a wide range of systems of psychotherapy. 3 A method of treatment incorporating hypnosis is described and evaluated with reference to case reports. 4 The indications are that hypnotherapy has distinct advantages over other methods of treatment in the economy of time and effort needed to treat patients effectively in comparison with other methods; in reducing the observable and reported stress levels for patients undergoing treatment; and in improving the overall effectiveness of the therapy as measured by improvements in the patient's condition, e.g. severely reducing or ceasing the inhalation of solvent vapours.