Secondary Gain

An underlying benefit that a person receives from maintaining a problem, symptom, or unwanted behavior. Secondary gain is often unconscious — the person is not aware that their symptom is serving a purpose. Common examples include a physical illness that provides rest and attention, or a phobia that prevents a person from having to face a feared situation. In hypnotherapy and NLP, identifying and addressing secondary gain is essential for lasting change, as the unconscious mind will resist releasing a symptom if the underlying need it serves is not met by alternative means.