It's natural to feel down sometimes, but if that low mood lingers day after day, it could signal depression. Major depression is an episode of sadness or apathy along with other symptoms that lasts at least two consecutive weeks and is severe enough to interrupt daily activities. Depression is not a sign of weakness or a negative personality. It is a major public health problem and a treatable medical condition.
Doctors aren't sure what causes depression, but a prominent theory is altered brain structure and chemical function. Brain circuits that regulate mood may work less efficiently during depression. Drugs that treat depression are believed to improve communication between nerve cells, aking them run more normally. Experts also think that while stress - such as losing a loved one -- can trigger depression, one must first be biologically prone to develop the disorder. Other triggers could include certain medications, alcohol or substance abuse, hormonal changes, or even the season. Illustrated here are neurons (nerve cells) in the brain communicating via neurotransmitters.
Studies suggest different types of talk therapy can fight mild to moderate depression. Cognitive behavioral therapy aims to change thoughts and behaviors that contribute to depression. Interpersonal therapy identifies how your relationships impact your mood. Psychodynamic psychotherapy helps people understand how their behavior and mood are affected by unresolved issues and unconscious feelings. Some patients find a few months of therapy are all they need, while others continue long term.
Depending on how severe your depression is and your personal circumstances, your doctor may suggest different treatment options. There are many routes available and it’s important to know that help is available. If one approach doesn’t feel helpful, explore another. Clinical Hypnotherapy is designed to help clients overcome depression. This approach works on an unconscious/subconscious level, using techniques to identify and address the root causes while offering positive suggestions to break negative thinking patterns. Rather than treat the symptoms of depression, hypnotherapy aims to tackle what triggers lead to your depression so you can heal at a deep level and move on in a new empowered way.
Clinical Hypnotherapy targets the underlying basis of depression, and completes the “unfinished business” that otherwise continues to recycle as self-sabotaging thoughts and behaviours. With hypnotherapy, the unconscious mind finds new resources to heal deep within and this is done in the privacy of the Unconscious mind. The client then experiences positive change bubbling up into their conscious mind. Sometimes, hypnotherapists will use hypnotherapy in tandem with psychotherapy. This will depend on their training.
What is important is that you are diagnosed by your doctor and that you find an approach that works for you. Remember that everyone is different and it’s OK if what works for one person doesn’t work for you. There are lots of approaches to try and many people recover from depression and manage their mental health using the treatments discussed here.
In the midst of major depression, you may feel hopeless and helpless. But the fact is, this condition is highly treatable. More than 80% of people get better with medication, talk therapy, or a combination of the two. Even when these therapies fail to help, there are cutting-edge treatments that pick up the slack.
