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Hypnotherapy & Depression
Hypnotherapy can help get to the root cause of depression or unhappiness.
Depression affects all parts of a person: her body, mind and emotions. It is thought that hypnotherapy can address the subconscious part of the mind and can allow you to identify those thoughts and emotions that have led to depression. Through the use of hypnosis, you can potentially obtain a stronger grasp of your thought patterns as well as your emotions. Hypnosis is considered an effective means to reduce the sadness and anxiety associated with depression by encouraging positive affirmations and emotions.
Responses to hypnosis can vary a great deal. Your own ability to receive and respond to hypnosis is the key, and the technique of the hypnotherapist is secondary. Most people are receptive to hypnosis, and the number of people who can’t be hypnotized at all is quite small. With so many strains from everyday life, commitments that hold us down and problems that arise, we carry on through our lives un-mended emotionally and mentally. We carry hurt and continue as normal, letting the dark bubble get bigger and bigger around us. When and how it starts to draw on us is a mystery.
Major depressive disorder, commonly referred to as “depression,” can severely disrupt your life, affecting your appetite, sleep, work, and relationships.
The symptoms that help a doctor identify depression include:
- constant feelings of sadness, irritability, or tension
- decreased interest or pleasure in usual activities or hobbies
- loss of energy, feeling tired despite lack of activity
- a change in appetite, with significant weight loss or weight gain
- a change in sleeping patterns, such as difficulty sleeping, early morning awakening, or sleeping too much
- restlessness or feeling slowed down
- decreased ability to make decisions or concentrate
- feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, or guilt
- thoughts of suicide or death
If you are experiencing any or several of these symptoms, you should talk to your doctor about whether you are suffering from depression.
If you are in an immediate serious crisis, please contact your doctor or go to your local hospital or emergency room. Dysthymia is another mood disorder. People who have it may feel mildly depressed on most days over a period of at least two years.
They have many symptoms resembling major depression, but with less severity. Symptoms of depression may surface with other mood disorders. They include seasonal major depression (also known as seasonal affective disorder), postpartum depression, and bipolar disorder.
Seasonal Affective Disorder has symptoms that are seen with any major depressive episode. It is the recurrence of the symptoms during certain seasons that is the hallmark of this type of depression.
Postpartum Depression is a type of depression that can occur in women who have recently given birth. It typically occurs in the first few months after delivery, but can happen within the first year after giving birth. The symptoms are those seen with any major depressive episode. Often, postpartum depression interferes with the mother’s ability to bond with her newborn. It is very important to seek help if you are experiencing postpartum depression. Postpartum depression is different from the “Baby Blues” which tend to occur the first few days after delivery and resolve spontaneously.
Untreated depression, stress or just being unhappy can severely reduce quality of life
through a number of health issues.
Symptoms can range from insomnia, withdrawal from family and friends, irritability, chronic sadness, appetite loss or even comfort eating and isolation. In many cases the person may just be tearful or extremely angry. This can be caused by many circumstances: death, divorce, betrayal, hurt or just events that have occurred which were beyond our control such as shock, loss of work and many others that are not talked about.
When asked what has caused this state of mind, the individual has no answer and no solution. It’s a feeling that something is missing, the world has stopped and usually the question is “WHY ME?”
Self-Hypnosis for Depression
Self-hypnosis can be a complement to any hypnosis performed by a therapist, and the benefit is that it can be performed in the comfort of your home. There are books and tapes available to teach you self-hypnosis techniques, or a hypnotherapist may also teach you ways to perform self-hypnosis. Self-hypnosis is a way of encouraging a similar trance-like state that you experience in a formal session facilitated by a hypnotherapist. The key difference is that it is not a hypnotherapist who provides suggestions for positive change but you who eliminates negative thought patterns and replaces them with positive ones. In addition, alternative therapies such as hypnosis can be helpful because they allow a person to experience a greater sense of control over his or her depression and health.
Medication, as prescribed by doctors, is not the answer to get to the root of the symptoms but merely a suppressant. This isn’t to say that medications don’t work or are not necessary, but they work for as long as you are taking them.
ASK YOURSELF:
• What is being done to treat the root cause?
• What is the root cause of this unhappiness?
• Will the medication make you happy or just suppress your feelings?
• Will you become reliant on the medication to help continue with your life?
• Do you want to recover and get back to the normal, bubbly, happy you?
Hypnosis can also be an excellent complement to antidepressant or non-medication based therapies. Many people experience depression, but your feelings and experiences should be treated uniquely. With hypnotherapy, you can address your personal negative thought patterns and hopefully replace your depression with joy and fulfilment. Finding your true self within.
