It all depends. Fast on which time frame and from whose perspective?
A strong myth exists in society that hypnosis can bring about miraculous behaviour change in people. It follows then that when someone goes to hypnotherapy they can “fixed in an instant”, or “zapped” and they will stop smoking or drinking or whatever behavior they are doing which they want to change. This myth tends to come from stage hypnosis which of course is not about learning. It is about entertainment.
Hypnotherapy is a very successful approach used to help people, for all kinds of things, It is a therapeutic intervention – and therefore it takes as long as the client needs it to.
It is not a quick fix, nor is it a magical solution which delivers results in 1 session. However, many research studies have shown lasting benefits can be observed within a few weeks of starting hypnotherapy.
Research shows hypnotherapy delivers results faster than some of the more traditional therapies. Talk therapies, traditional psychotherapies, etc., all take more time as they rely on the client to gain an insight into their behaviour, to understand why they keep repeating it and then make the decision to change their actions.
Process orientated hypnotherapy helps the client understand HOW they are thinking, how they are making decisions and how this directly impacts on their actions or lack of actions. It then deliberately teaches the skills and insights required to change these thinking patterns.
Process orientated hypnotherapy does therefore help the client to reach their goal quicker than other therapies. Reaching the desired result depends on how much effort the client puts into learning, practicing, and reflecting on their new skills and experiences.
So, YES hypnosis is faster and it is quick when it is used as part of a therapeutic approach.