WHAT IS DEPRESSION?
Depression is a mental health condition which affects a person’s thinking, energy levels, feelings and behavior, and that affects the way a person eats, sleeps, feels about himself or herself, and thinks about things. A person’s energy and concentration is down and they struggle to focus. It is not a sign of personal weakness or a condition that can be wished away. People with depression cannot merely ‘pull themselves together’ and get better. Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, months, or years. It’s not just having a bad day.
Depression has a number of possible causes. For some people, it happens because of a traumatic life event such as bereavement, relationship breakdown, financial difficulties or bullying. In other situations, the person may have an inherent tendency towards depression, with the causes being more biological than psychological.
It is known that chemical changes in the brain contribute to producing the symptoms of depression.
Depression is thought to be associated with changes to the levels of three principal chemicals in the brain that control a variety of body processes including:
* serotonin – mood, appetite and going to sleep
* noradrenaline (also called norepinephrine) – mood, waking and attention/concentration
* dopamine – movement, motivation, and experiencing pleasure
(If the levels of these chemicals are upset, this can lead to medical problems, such as depression.)
Depression is a very common condition which affects more than 450,000 people in Ireland (one in ten) at any one time, and research suggest that figures of one in five people will be affected by depression at some point in their life. Any of us, irrespective of age, gender or background, can be affected.
What does Depression feel like?
* Feeling Low or sad,
* Feeling irritable
* Loss of interest and enjoyment in daily life
* Lack of energy
* Fatigue and reduced activity
* Disturbed sleep or excessive sleep
* Changes in appetite and weight
* Loss of sex drive
* Unexplained aches and pains e.g. headache, backache
* Changes to the menstrual cycle
* Poor concentration or reduced attention
* Difficulty in making decisions
* Restlessness, agitation or anxiety
* Low self-confidence and self-esteem
* Feelings of guilt
* Inability to cope with life as before
* Avoiding other people
* Bleak view of the future
* Morbid thoughts, ideas of self-harm
How Depression can affect my life?
When someone is affected by depression, the symptoms can affect every aspect of their lives – at home, at work, and socially.
The emotional effects of depression (low mood, restlessness, irritability, etc.) may create:
* Problems with personal relationships
* Lack of interest in daily life, personal appearance, etc.
* Short temper, with a low tolerance for others
* Breakdown of family life
* Anxiety disorders, or alcohol/drug dependency
The physical effects of depression (fatigue, poor sleep, aches and pains, etc.) can lead to:
* Lack of energy for everyday tasks
* Excessive exhaustion after small amounts of activity
* Loss of sex drive
* Worsening of existing medical conditions
Feelings of low mood, low self-confidence and anxiety can lead to:
* Loss of interest in hobbies and pastimes
* Avoidance of social activities
* Deterioration of friendships
* Social isolation and loneliness
Depression can produce various problems that may affect working life, including:
* Difficulties with concentration, decision-making and memory
* Excessive anxiety and lack of confidence
* Disruption of working relationships
* Repeated absenteeism/sick days (for physical or emotional reasons).
Main Types of Depression:
A person with mild depression typically experiences tiredness, some early morning wakening, indecision, poor concentration and loss of confidence. It is important to note here that the person will not necessarily feel depressed.
Most of the symptoms of depression as listed above are present: the person feels depressed, is extremely fatigued, has marked sleep disturbance and appears to others to be depressed.
In addition to the symptoms of moderate depression, the person’s judgement is impaired in a severe depression – i.e. they have an extremely negative and pessimistic view of their own self-worth and future prospects. Strong suicidal thoughts (or intent) will also be present.
Someone suffering a severe depressive episode may have delusions or false beliefs (e.g. that they are evil, wicked, bankrupt or terminally ill) or may suffer from hallucinations (hearing voices or having visions) with similar themes. When delusions or hallucinations are present, the depression is referred to as a psychotic depression. Such depressions are an extreme extension of the negative thinking that is part of a mild or moderate depression.
Please note, if you are reading this and you are having suicidal thoughts, or have had in the past, I would always advise talking to your GP before embarking on any form of therapy. Hypnosis is not a quick fix solution, it takes ongoing therapy sessions and effort on the clients part too. A mood stabilizing medication may be required as an early intervention.
How Hypnosis can help with Depression?
Hypnosis for depression can help address the underlying cause as well as help individuals find much more effective coping behaviors. It can also help people achieve a happier mood and decrease or dispel the pessimistic and negative thoughts that generally accompany depression. Hypnotherapy for this disorder will typically use a combination of suggestion and imagery to bring about positive changes in the unconscious processes of the depressed individual. People who undergo hypnosis for this disorder will often experience a new sense of freedom and a greater sense of control over their thoughts, their mood, and their life in general.
Since anxiety often goes hand in hand with depression, hypnosis can also be very beneficial because it helps reduce and often alleviate the anxious thoughts and feelings. Rather than remain stuck in the vicious cycle of painful thoughts and feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and hopelessness, hypnosis can help the person to develop a more positive outlook by using powerful self-suggestion. Rather than going through life reacting to difficult situations that would previously have felt overwhelming or hopeless, the individual learns how to respond effectively.
One thing to remember with Depression is that people suffer in silence. They feel no-one will understand , no-one knows what I’m going through. They feel alone, abandoned, unloved even. If you take just one piece of information from this website , just remember that you aren’t alone, you aren’t the first person in history to feel the way you do. You aren’t weak , strange, or pathetic, there is a reason why you feel the way you do. So whether you choose to use Hypnotherapy or not, the simple act of just talking to someone, anyone, (friend, family, doctor, or co-worker) is a step in the right direction.