Once upon a time hypnotherapy was contraindicated for depression. Now hypnotists treat depressed people all the time. Depression is one of the most common psychological problems observed and treated by mental health practitioners. The intensity can range from mild to severe. In some cases, depression can be so debilitating that individuals are unable to perform normal daily tasks, such as going to work, hanging out with friends, doing household chores and caring for children.

How do you know if you’re depressed or not? Everyone feels down and blue from time to time. This is a normal part of being human and fortunately for most people, their down or sad mood lifts within hours or days. For some people however, this sad or flattened mood continues for weeks, and in some cases for months or even years.

Technically speaking, clinical or major depression involves feeling sad, down or “can’t be bothered” for at least 2 weeks, along with at least 4 of the following:

• disturbed sleep (oversleeping, waking 1-2 hours earlier than normal and not being able to sleep, waking up feeling unrefreshed).

• decreased energy

• changes in appetite or weight (either a noticed increase or decrease)

• changes in psychomotor activity (either moving very slowly or being hyperenergised)

• disturbed concentration and difficulty making decisions

• feeling guilty and or worthless

• thoughts of, or attempts at, suicide.

Other symptoms commonly linked with depression include socially withdrawing, excessively crying, irritability, self-harming behaviors such as cutting, lack of enjoyment in previously pleasurable activities and a decreased interest in sex.

The feature and risk of suicide clearly highlights why it is so important for people who are depressed to get professional help. Approximately 15% of individuals with severe depression successfully commit suicide. In such severe cases, hospitalisation is often necessary to keep individuals safe. It is very hard to end up in hospital, and most cases of depression can be successfully treated while you remain engaged in your normal life.

There are many reasons why people develop depression. It seems more likely in those who have an immediate family member who has also experienced depression. It is common following some sort of stressful life event, such as losing your job, a relationship break-up, or following the death of a loved friend or family member. Major depression also seems to occur in adults who suffered abuse and neglect when they were children or who lost a parent during childhood and adolescence. Other risk factors include chronic health problems, such as heart disease or high blood pressure. Interestingly, from adolescence, females suffer more from depression than men do.

What should you do if you think you have depression? Tell someone you trust, such as your partner, friend or family member that you aren’t feeling like your usual self. There is no shame in having depression and it is an illness that needs treatment. Do some research and contact a few different therapists and have a brief chat about the problems you are experiencing. Its good to talk to prospective counsellors with hypnotherapy training on the phone to get an idea about whether you feel you can work with them.

Hypnotherapy can help enormously when applied as part of a supportive counselling framework for depression treatment.

BIO:
Melbourne Hypnotherapist and Counsellor Adam Szmerling has been practicing since 1996. He has completed and Advanced Diploma of Clinical Hypnotherapy, an undergraduate degree in counselling and postgraduate studies in counselling and psychotherapy. He is a Master Practitioner of NLP and takes a Mindfulness and Attachment Therapy approach to counselling, integrating clinical hypnotherapy, NLP, mindfulness, psychodynamic and experiential approaches to best support the needs of each individual client.
http://www.baysidepsychotherapy.com.au/depression.php

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