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Cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy provided at the Therapy Centre provides effective brief therapy for Dysthymia, clinical depression, major depressive disorder, antenatal and post-natal depression.
DEPRESSION - WHO AND WHY?
Any person young or old, male or female can become depressed. Depression is increasing in all age groups, but particularly in the younger teenage group. Females tend to experience depression twice as frequently than males, and depression is estimated around 40% and is more common amongst children, who have grown up with a parent that is depressed.
In the years I have been in practice I have consulted with people' from all walks of life. There have been many misconceived ideas about depressed people, that they are weak, or just feel sorry for themselves. They are told to 'snap out of it' or 'there are other people worse off than you'. This is certainly not an answer and often makes the person feel guilty or worse about their condition. Firstly, it must be understood that the term “Depression” is a generic term used to describe a condition that has a wide range of symptoms and patterns of experience. Depression has many causes, and as a result has many viable avenues of therapy. Mildly and severely depressed clients find themselves in situations that are enormously painful and who need help to find a way out. It can effect you physically, causing problems such as disturbances in eating, sleep disturbance, a lowered sex drive, a decreased level of pleasure or interest, fatigue and anxiety. Cognitively, depression can affect your ability to think clearly, making it difficult to concentrate, including poor memory, which can include errors in judgement and decision-making.
Day to day living has become more stressful for some people, changes in society, a higher divorce or separation rate, the general break-up of families, job insecurity, being too fat or too thin. Those who do not perceive themselves as successful, even with a nice car, house, or family. Pressures on children to do better at school, with the now increasing vast array of subjects, can lead to despair or frustration, that may cause anxiety, helplessness or hopelessness. Of course not everyone who experiences these problems or stresses becomes depressed. However, there are numerous amounts of people, thought to be 50% who go untreated because either they don't know they are depressed, or a consultation with a doctor fails to diagnose depression. Depression has a high co morbidity rate with other conditions and there can be many underlying medical and psychological, disorders that create depression where a full investigation is required.
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CAUSES OF DEPRESSION
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) has a significant number of contributing factors. However research has indicated that these factors relate to contributing biological, psychological and sociological considerations, referred to as the Biopsychosocial model (BPS)
BIOLOGICAL - Biochemistry can play an important part, however, the lack of genetic make-up in identifying biochemical imbalance that creates depression, has not been fully established. We are biological and sensitive to the environment, family and cultural influences. Most people overestimate the biological contributory factor when evidence is far stronger for depression having its origins; in the way people think about and respond to life experiences. (There has been no specific depression gene found}. Chemical imbalances such as serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine usually return to normal levels, when there is an interaction with psychotherapy for depression. There is no further need to take any medication to correct the imbalance. This suggests that the imbalance is the body's physical response to psychological depression, rather than the other way around.
PSYCHOLOGICAL - Psychological approaches involve many different and sometimes, individual factors. This can range through various areas such as individual cognitive styles, coping styles and, in many cases, the quality of individual behaviour.
SOCIOLOGICAL - There is a more important and established understanding that in a social selling, the product of family environment plays more relevance in producing depression. Learnt responses from a depressed mother, father or other family member can provide that child with negativity at a later time. It is now a faster, more complex life, with higher demands placed on the individual, most jobs are not as secure as they were, there is more information technology, hours spent watching TV or on the Internet can produce poor socialisation.
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ANTI-DEPRESSANTS
Drugs can often suppress underlying problems, only to find when the patient stops taking the
anti-depressant drug, they become depressed. There is a higher relapse rate from medication
than therapy. Anti-depressant medication cannot teach coping skills, problem-solving skills, resolve interpersonal issues, or protect against reoccurrence of depressive episodes. It would be unfair to say that “all' people do not get relief from medication, and in some instances medication is definitely required. There are several different types of anti-depressant medication, medications such as tricyclic anti-depressants (TCA’s), monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI's) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (S.S.R.I’s) such as Prozac, Paroxetine and Seroxat. All these drugs have many side effects, everyone is an individual and where one drug may not work well', where another might. Unfortunately most GPs tend to think that depression is a biological illness and therefore the need is for drug therapy. As already suggested, scientific findings indicate that depression is caused in three general areas, BIOLOGY, SOCIOLOGY and PSYCHOLOGY. Within these three categories there are many variables that play an important part. Therefore these factors need to be considered in every case.
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BRIEF THERAPY
Whether it is clinical depression, major depressive disorder or postnatal depression, mild, severe, with or without suicidal idealisation, an individual has the ability to break up their depression if they want to. It is a very important step to recognise depression and then to obtain help. I sometimes say to someone that is depressed, it is brilliant that you have the ability to think and feel negatively, and as you have such a brilliant ability to think and feel negatively, you also have a brilliant ability, to think and feel positively, that is what you will be doing slowly and gradually. From information obtained at the initial consultation, we are able to draw up a plan of action, and work together to build better coping skills for life. Everyone is an individual, therefore therapy is individualised to pertain to that person. A person that is depressed does the same old things, day in and day out, more than likely ruminating over the same old problems. When you do something differently, you will get a different and much better result. It is knowing what to do differently that counts, providing a better future. Depression is manageable and recovery is highly likely if approached intelligently.
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HYPNOSIS
Hypnosis can be defined as a "state of relaxation at one with a state of heightened awareness induced by suggestion" where the person is pleasantly and completely relaxed. There is a very pleasant feeling once hypnotised and it is quite normal and non-magical. When a person is in the 'hypnotic state', you are very focused, attentive and responsive to new ideas and positive possibilities. The therapist is a guide, there is no question of being controlled or manipulated, a person is able to think and hear everything, your mind will be in control of the situation.
Hypnosis does not cure anything; it is used as a therapeutic tool to assist the subconscious mind to take on board suggestions that are for the client's benefit, without the conscious mind causing interference. Hypnosis is used by many health care professionals such as doctors, psychologists, psychotherapists and therapists throughout the world on a daily basis. Psychotherapy and cognitive. Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is well established in treating depression, incorporated with hypnosis provides positive outcomes, within the brief therapy framework.
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COGNITIVE BEHAVIOUR THERAPY (CBT)
Cognitive behaviour therapy provides new ways of thinking and feeling within a short period of time; this therapy is regarded as a brief therapy. This is opposed to, often frequently long therapies. Some therapies can go on for many months and even years that, paradoxically holds that person back from going forward. The longer therapy continues, constantly reminds the client, that their problem is something drastic, becomes more reliant on the therapist, with nothing happening in respect to coping or feeling better.
People suffering depression tend to think or ruminate about the same old problem over and over again. Thinking of things in the past that hurt them, or feel guilty about, things they have not accomplished, and that they are useless and hopeless. They say 'Things will never get better', 'I will never be able to have a good relationship, job', 'I'm no good at anything' or 'it's my fault things went wrong'. These unrealistic self-critical evaluations develop pessimistic ideas that create low self-esteem and a sense of hopelessness and helplessness. Providing cognitive, behavioural and interpersonal approaches within hypnosis allows that person to think and feel differently and produces sophisticated ways of overcoming problems. Solutions to problem solving are imperative and significantly reduce a relapse. These coping skills and mechanisms are resources within all of us, which are identified and brought out, to be utilised for the future. Clinical hypnosis creates the effectiveness of psychotherapy, which enables unique specific and' positive changes to take place in the depressed individual.
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ANALYTICAL THERAPY AND NEURO LINGUISTYIC PROGRAMMING
Some clients require Analytical therapy with clinical hypnosis. This therapy is used to discover causes of psychological problems. Hypno-analysis can be briefly summarised as the doctrine of 'cause and effect' (the symptom) must have a cause. Hypno-analysis aims to reveal and thus remove the cause, and consequently relieves the symptoms .. If a person feels that there are issues from the past, then they can be resolved. There are occasions when the techniques of Neuro- Linguistic programming have proved to be beneficial when utilized when working within the depression spectrum.
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ANTI-NATAL DEPRESSION
Brief therapy to reduce and control depression prior to labour is important, especially for those that were depressed before becoming pregnant (see footnote). Females who have been taking antidepressant medication, and due to pregnancy can no longer take them, may then develop further bouts of depression. By providing better coping skills and mechanisms, allows the female to be more in control of the situation and life in general. Therapy at this stage significantly reduces the chances of postnatal or post partum depression. This is why the focus on antenatal depression is so important.
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POST NATAL DEPRESSION
Postnatal depression occurs in 10 - 15% of women within a year of giving birth and has a one in five increase of being depressed after the next birth. Many females usually within 4
days of giving birth will feel 'down' and maybe tearful for a few days which is 'normal', and termed 'The baby blue's'. However, some women continue to be unhappy, emotional, anxious about the baby, feelings of the inability to cope, feeling inadequate and may even feel guilty, perceiving herself to be a poor mother. Insomnia or waking during the night if there is no need causes tiredness and lethargy through the daytime. Negative and poorly perceived thoughts, create an increased depressive period that continues, for months and sometimes even for a year or more. Brief clinical hypnotherapy via a cognitive approach allows the depressed female to think and feel differently, looking forward to her joys of family life and living.
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THE THERAPY CENTRE
21 BRIAR ROAD
KIRKINTILLOCH
GLASGOW
G66 3SA
Telephone 0141 578 1182
Email Here
I would take this opportunity to acknowledge the work carried out into the therapeutic treatment of depression by David Kato PhD. A significant part of my training in dealing with the depressive tendencies has been undertaken with David Kato, who is regarded as one of the leading therapists in the United Kingdom and the United States in the depressive field. The work of David Kato can be observed at: -
www.depression-therapist.co.uk
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