Lifting out of Depression
Depression is terrible for the person experiencing it and can be one of the most debilitating conditions. Many of us can feel sad and down from time to time which reflects life’s ups and downs however we can generally lift up out of it quite quickly whereas others experience feeling sad, awful, helpless and low for long periods of time without, sometimes, any particular reason. Depression is more than just a low mood, it’s a serious health condition and although it hurts and may not be ‘caused’ by biology, it definitely also has physical effects.
According to The National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing 2007:
· 1 in 2 (46%) of Australians aged between 16-85 had experienced a mental disorder during their lifetime
· 1 in 5 (20%) of those had symptoms in the 12 months before the survey interview. Anxiety was the most prevalent type of disorder (14%), affective (mood) disorders (6.2%) and substance use disorder (5.1%)
· 48% males experienced a mental disorder compared to 43% women in their lifetimes. 22% women compared with 18% men had experienced symptoms in 12 months before the survey
· 1 in 12 (8.6%) people who had mental disorders for 12 months reported being suicidal in the 12 months prior to the survey.
When someone suffers from depression, it really feels like nothing can ever help and nothing will ever change. You can’t see the forest for the trees, so to speak. This thought pattern is what depression does to your thinking. It drains the pleasure out of your life and the activities you used to enjoy, it makes you feel absolutely certain that you’ll never be happy again and everything is tainted through a grey lens leaving you feeling like there is no hope, feeling tired and exhausted.
Unfortunately, many people don’t recognise the symptoms which includes:
· Feeling sad, empty or flat (for two or more weeks)
· Losing interest in the things you used to enjoy eg; hobbies/activities
· Feeling tired/exhausted, lack of motivation/energy
· Being moody (which is out of character)
· Irritability
· Increase in drug and alcohol use
· Appetite and weight changes
· Sleeping issues and over sleeping
· Feelings of helplessness, guilt or worthlessness
· Restless, on edge or feel like you’ve got a flat battery
· Concentrating, remembering and making decisions are more difficult
· Loss of control
· Dysfunctional bowels, diarrhoea, constipation
· Thinking about death or suicide
What causes depression?
There are a few points of view when it comes to what is the ‘cause’.
1. It’s a disease – a neurochemical or hormonal imbalance
2. Certain styles of thinking
3. Result of ill-fated experiences.
Each one, on the surface, can be a cause and each has a strong case however not one gives a complete picture as:
· depression isn’t a disease,
· negative thinking styles – does this mean that being a pessimist causes depression
· events – trauma, sad etc can set off depression in some but not others.
There are so many facets surrounding depression and one must look at it holistically in order to understand it and therefore when you understand it then you have more knowledge as to the best way to beat it.
ONE SIZE FITS ALL TREATMENTS??
No it doesn’t!
Can you beat depression?
In a nutshell, yes, depression IS treatable. People can lift up out of it and live very happy and productive lives, without medication! And with the right help, the journey out of it doesn’t have to be long, drawn out or painful (never should it be painful).
Mark Tyrell, from Uncommon Knowledge, (UK), advised “In recent years, people have tried to explain depression away as a chemical imbalance or a genetic condition but, thankfully, there is very little evidence for this. And I say ‘thankfully’ because if it’s not a disease, if it’s not caused through a chemical imbalance, then it becomes treatable through non-chemical means.”
Mark also states that “Depression is not a biological or genetic disease; there is no gene for depression, you can’t have a physical test at your doctors to see whether you’re depressed or not”. And “There is some evidence that some depression has a genetic basis. Manic depression or bipolar disorder, in particular.”
People can actually have a genetic ‘pre-disposition’ to depression however, be that as it may, there is no certainty that you will become depressed as there is no gene for depression.
Depression is often a learned behaviour! And anything learned, can be unlearnt!!
Does this spark your interest? Then keep reading!!
What’s changed?
Since 1945, depression has risen approximately 1000% since 1945. It does not discriminate, anyone can suffer or become susceptible to depression. It can be after a break-up, job loss, a death of a loved one, so no one is immune to the clutches of this condition.
Depression is not always mainly events-driven either. Unfortunately, events will happen in our lives, there’s no escaping that however it’s not so much the event, it’s more so how we respond to what happens that can lead us down the low path or keep us balanced and remain on an even keel.
Did you know that the old term for clinical depression was ‘nervous exhaustion’! Personally, I think it’s a much better term as you can see it for what it really is rather than a word that really doesn’t describe it.
Another interesting observation is that non-industrialised countries are generally happier than the industrialised world. As soon as these non-industrialised countries become industrialised, depression rises very quickly.
Food for thought! Should we be getting back to basics, a simpler life?
Why has depression been on the increase?
· Cultural and social changes (eg; the collapse of families, children going away to school and/or seeking work outside the community, breaking down the family nucleus. Being away from family and community increases feelings of isolation especially for those that have difficulty in socialising and unsupported)
· Increased wealth and personal expectations
· Increase of technology (eg; feeling stumped and inadequate)
· Environmental changes
· Media (eg; constant barrage of bad news and fear mongering)
· Breakdown of faith/beliefs or clear set of moral guidelines (eg; Religion being less popular–the sense of community and meaning being lost)
· Increase of materialisation in the western world (eg; so much luxury but there’s also a rise of dissatisfaction and disappointment which often drives depression.
How can I rise up out of depression?
One word, Hypnotherapy!
Hypnotherapy is solution-based therapy, a sensible approach that has been very effective for many people who suffer depression.
My aim is to make you feel better mentally and physically, have a sense of positivity, hopefulness and relief, right from the very first session!
This is not a talk-fest. This is a collaborative effort and we start ‘doing’ things immediately to help you feel better quicker, building the once cracked foundations into a solid fortress.
We will work together to:
· reduce the worry and self-analysis you’re doing
· establish achievable goals to work towards
· resolve any practical problems causing you stress or worry
· work on any relationship difficulties, if any
· help you balance your thinking so you aren’t automatically putting a negative spin on everything
· when you start to feel better, we will gradually introduce fundamentals that will protect you from slipping into depression again
· bring back some happiness, pleasure, energy and positivity - getting back to genuinely enjoying the activities you love to do
· you will also be learning what depression actually is in a way you can understand so you are in a much better place to prevent its return.
We can conduct sessions face-to-face at my clinic or online in the comfort of your own home. Either way, hypnosis can help you free yourself from that depression!
Contact me for a Free Consultation - CLICK HERE
