Depression & Anxiety: And How to Heal | Hypnotherapy | Rebecca Jones | UK | USA | Worldwide
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Top Tips To Beat Depression & Anxiety What is depression? Depression is classified as a mood disorder. Depression is much more than feeling unhappy, sad or down for a couple of days. Many people experience periods of feeling down. However, when you are depressed you feel constantly sad for weeks or months, rather than just a couple of days. Depression is a low mood that can last for a long time, even years, and affects your everyday life. In its mildest form, depression can mean being in low spirits. It does not stop you leading your normal life but makes everything so much harder to do. Life can seem less worthwhile. At its most severe, depression can be life-threatening because it can make you feel suicidal. A major difficulty and obstacle for people suffering from depression is the fact that some people think that depression is trivial and not a genuine health condition. Therefore, it is important to remember that depression is not a sign of weakness and not imaginary or made up. It is real. The good news is that with the right treatment and support, most people with depression can make a full recovery. Depression can affect all aspects of our lives including relationships, work and careers, family, leisure time, home life, and more. It can also affect pre-existing health conditions. Conditions that can get worse due to depression include: arthritis, asthma, cardio vascular disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and so on. However, feeling sad at times is a normal part of life. Upsetting events happen to everyone. But, if you’re feeling down or hopeless on a regular basis, you could be suffering with depression. Depression is considered a serious medical condition that can get worse without proper treatment. Depression & Anxiety: Many people with depression also have symptoms of anxiety. Please see my related articles on Anxiety and PTSD. There can also be physical symptoms too, such as feeling constantly tired, sleeping badly, having no appetite or sex drive, and various aches and pains. There are also some specific types of depression: Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) – depression that occurs at a particular time of year, or during a particular season, e.g. when it is dark in Winter. Prenatal depression – depression that occurs during pregnancy. This is sometimes also called antenatal depression. Postnatal depression (PND) – depression that occurs in the weeks and months after becoming a parent. Postnatal depression is usually diagnosed in women, but it can also affect men. And the symptoms of depression can be experienced differently among men, women, and children. What causes depression?
Sometimes there is a trigger for depression. Life-changing events, such as bereavement, losing your job or giving birth, can bring it on. People with a family history of depression are more likely to experience it themselves. But you can also become depressed for no obvious reason. Treating depression: Treatment for depression can involve a combination of lifestyle changes, therapies, and medicine. Your recommended treatment will be based on whether you have mild, moderate or severe depression. Clinical Hypnotherapy is a powerful form of therapy which is used for treating depression with extremely successful results. It allows clients to fully overcome their depression and anxiety, and make a full and rapid recovery enabling them to live happy, positive, and fulfilled lives once more. Beating depression; As well as Clinical Hypnotherapy, many people with depression also benefit by making lifestyle changes, such as getting more exercise, cutting down on alcohol, giving up smoking / drugs, and eating healthily. Joining a support group or attending group therapy sessions can also be very worthwhile. They can help you gain a better understanding about what causes you to feel depressed. Sharing your experiences with others in a similar situation to you can be very supportive. The importance of social connections and support can never be underestimated. Lifestyle changes can also be an effective way of becoming more positive in your daily activities. Here are some lifestyle changes that you can make today to beat depression and anxiety: 1. Exercise: Even a half-hour daily walk can make a big difference. But for maximum results, aim for 30 - 60 minutes of aerobic activity on most days. 2. Social support: Strong social networks reduce isolation. Isolation is a key risk factor which can cause depression. Keep in regular contact with friends and family, join an evening class, take up a new hobby, or volunteering which is a great way to get social support and help others too! 3. Nutrition: Eat well. Eat small, well-balanced meals throughout the day. Keep your energy up and minimise the sugar crash and mood swings. 4. Sleep: Sleep has an extreme and very strong effect on mood. Sleep deprivation can cause and increase irritability, moodiness, sadness, and fatigue. Get enough sleep each night, (7 to 9 hours is preferable). 5. Reduce Stress: Make changes in your life to reduce stress. Too much stress can cause and increase depression. Spend some time to look at the aspects of your life that cause you stress, e.g. work overload, poor relationships, finances, poor health, etc, and then find solutions to reduce their impact. A coach or mentor can help you with this. 6. Therapeutic Techniques: Some types of therapy, such as Clinical Hypnotherapy, also teach you practical techniques on how to reframe negative thinking and employ behavioural techniques to beat depression. Therapy can also help you work through the root cause of your depression, helping you understand why you feel a certain way, what your triggers are for depression, and what you can do to stay healthy. Finding the right therapist for you: A key factor to consider when choosing a hypnotherapist or coach is your connection with this person. The right therapist will be caring and a supportive partner in your treatment and recovery. How to choose a therapist: Word of mouth is one of the best ways to find a good therapist. Your friends and family may have some good ideas, and always ask to see reviews and testimonials from previous clients.
Your G.P. doctor may also be able to provide an initial referral. Depression medication may be the most advertised treatment for depression, but that does not mean it is the most effective. Depression is not just about a chemical imbalance in the brain. Although the 'Happy Chemicals' inside our brains can and should always be used and improved! This can be done using Clinical Hypnotherapy, without medication. (see my previous article on Happy Chemicals). Serotonin, Endorphins, Dopamine and Oxytocin are the 4 main Happy Chemicals in our brain that we can learn to develop, increase and use throughout our daily lives to enhance and improve our mental well-being. Learn how to do this using Clinical Hypnotherapy! Medication may help relieve some of the symptoms of moderate and severe depression, but it does not cure the underlying problem, and therefore it is not a long-term solution. Antidepressant medications also come with side effects, and withdrawal can be very difficult. Always seek the help and advice of your G.P. if you are feeling unwell. If you are wanting a safe and successful treatment for beating depression and anxiety, then Clinical Hypnotherapy may be something that you choose... And please remember that help and support is always available for you. Please do not suffer in silence... Thank you, Rebecca Jones
Phobias, Trauma, PTSD & Grief What is a phobia? A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder. An estimated 10 million people living in the UK, and 19 million people in America have phobias. Phobias can affect anyone regardless of age, sex, and social background. A phobia is an overwhelming, intense, pronounced, and debilitating fear of an object, place, situation, feeling or animal. It is much more intense than a fear. They develop when a person has an irrational, exaggerated, and / or unrealistic sense of danger about a situation or object. Social phobias, and social anxiety disorders are some of the most common phobias. 15 million Americans and approximately 8 million people in the UK suffer from some form of social anxiety disorder (SAD). It is a long-lasting and overwhelming fear of social situations. More than 75% of people experience their first symptoms during their childhood or early teenage years. It is a common problem that usually starts through the teenage years. It can have a huge impact on your life and be incredibly distressing, but help is available and the phobia and related issues can be resolved effectively. The Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale can be used with the help of a medical professional and therapist to assess the extent of your social phobia. The first question asks how anxious or fearful you feel in the situation. The second question asks how often you avoid the situation. This measure assesses the way that social phobia plays a role in your life across a variety of situations. Clinical Hypnotherapy can be used to ease, relieve, and ultimately combat and resolve all phobias and anxiety disorders. Phobias can often be triggered and develop from an initial traumatic event or incident, and last for many years afterwards if left untreated.
How are phobias linked to trauma? Often a phobia may develop after a serious incident or traumatic event. For example, the London Bridge and Westminster terror attacks in 2017, and the Manchester Arena bombing terror attack in 2017 left many people in shock, and later suffering from symptoms of trauma, and some were also left with the effects of PTSD. Even people who weren’t at the actual terror incidents were affected. Someone does not necessarily have to be present at the actual incident or event to be affected by it and thus suffer from the resultant symptoms of trauma, and the effects of anxiety, trauma, PTSD. Often family members and friends are also affected by traumatic events, reliving what happened to their loved ones. Grief also affects the victims’ families, especially if a loved one has died or suffered life changing injuries. Grief There is no right or wrong way to grieve. Grief is a natural response to loss. And there are some healthy ways to help you deal with the grieving process. Often the pain of loss can be overwhelming. It is helpful to remember that grieving is a completely individual and unique experience for you. The grieving process takes time and healing happens gradually. It cannot be ignored, forced or rushed. In 1969, psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross introduced what became known as the “five stages of grief.” Here are the five stages of grief: Denial: “This can’t be happening to me.” Anger: “Why is this happening? Who is to blame?” Bargaining: “Make this not happen, and in return I will ____.” Depression: “I’m too sad to do anything.” Acceptance: “I’m at peace with what happened.” And again, it is important to remember that we may all pass through these 5 stages differently, at different speeds, paces, and intensity. Our experience of grief will be unique to us. What is trauma? A trauma is a deeply distressing or disturbing experience. A traumatic event can cause physical, emotional, spiritual, or psychological harm. Common sources of trauma include: Rape. Domestic violence. Natural disasters. Severe illness or injury. The death of a loved one. Witnessing an act of violence. As well as there being many other causes of trauma not listed here, it is also important to remember that everyone experiences trauma and its symptoms in unique and various ways. Here are some of the more common symptoms of psychological trauma: Shock, denial, or disbelief. Confusion, difficulty concentrating. Anger, irritability, mood swings. Anxiety and fear. Guilt, shame, self-blame. Withdrawing from others. Feeling sad or hopeless. Feeling disconnected or numb. Phobias, trauma, PTSD, and grief can all be inextricably linked and tied together by one extreme incident in the past. Although this is not always the case, it is a common scenario. However, as unique as we all are, so is the case for people suffering with phobias and the after effects of a traumatic life event. No one person is the same, and nor are their life experiences. This is why each person should be treated and cared for uniquely. We all have our own story. Clinical Hypnotherapy is widely used to help people overcome fears, phobias, trauma, grief, and PTSD.
The Happy Chemicals Inside Your Brain, & How to Find them!
Many of us are fortunate in that we have always been naturally happy and positive. However, many people are not. So why is it that some people are always a glass half full person, when others around them are not? Instead, why are some people always a glass half empty person, negative, and sad? When others always seem to be so very happy with their lot in life? And on a more serious level, why are some people suicidal, or suffer from anxiety, PTSD, trauma, or depression?
Clinical Hypnotherapy allows us to look at this in greater detail and to make the necessary changes if we want to be happier in life.
Neuroscience and neurochemistry show us how we can train our brain, learn how to reprogramme our brains easily, and to train our brains to make us happier, and to be happier every day, day in day out.
We can do this on a scientific level, using biochemistry, our brain chemistry, with our very own chemistry set which already exists inside our heads! We don’t need anything outside of us to do this. We can simply tap into the inside of our own heads to do it.
Read on to find out more...
Neuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system.
Neurochemistry is the study of chemicals that control and influence the physiology of the nervous system.
We have 2 brain systems; the limbic system, and the cortex;
The two brain systems;
The limbic system is a network of structures located below the cerebral cortex. It is associated with motivation, emotion, learning and memory. The limbic system is composed of 4 main parts; the hypothalamus, the amygdala, the thalamus, and the hippocampus. Stimulation of the limbic system can also trigger emotional behaviour such as aggression.
The cortex is the outer layer of the neural tissue of the cerebrum of the brain. The cerebral cortex is made of up highly packed neurons and is responsible for higher thought processes, including thinking, perceiving, sensation, memory, speech and decision-making. It is the most important part of the brain because it is what makes us human.
Your brain releases ‘Happy Chemicals’ which reward you with good feelings when you do something which your brain recognises or associates an action as something good for your survival.
There are 4 main ‘Happy Chemicals’. These are;
Endorphins; The pain-masking chemical linked to pain perception. Endorphins are Opioid Neuropeptides and peptide hormones. There are at least 20 types of endorphins in the body. Such neurotransmitters transmit electrical signals across synapses within the nervous system. They are linked to euphoria and determination. It promotes well-being and evolved for our survival. Laughing, crying, exercising (the runner’s high), and stretching all release this chemical. As does eating chilli peppers, chocolate, having a massage, and having sex. Endorphins are similar to opiate drugs such as morphine, but are in fact much stronger. The hypnothalamus requests the release of these hormones which have an analgesic effect in the body. Endorphins relieve pain, stress, and boost happiness.
Dopamine; The goal-achieving chemical. A neurotransmitter. Dopamine releases energy to help us achieve what we want in life. It is based on motivation. It is what motivates us. It is not only for the high-achievers in the world though. We all have it!! It is linked to the anticipation of happiness, rather than the actual feeling of happiness per se. It is linked to reward-motivated behaviour. Thus it is heavily linked to addictions. The dopamine released during a kiss has the same effect on the brain as taking heroin or cocaine. Moreover, Parkinson’s disease is one illness associated with a deficit in dopamine.
Serotonin; The Leadership chemical. A neurotransmitter. Serotonin is released when you feel safe and have a good level of self-respect. Ways to increase your levels of serotonin include enjoying being in the moment and where you are, as well as taking pride in your achievements and successes, no matter how big or small they are. Moreover, by learning to surrender control (as we can actually control very little in our lives – Life is unpredictable), and learning to react and respond appropriately to life’s events. Low levels of serotonin can lead to depression and anxiety, amongst other symptoms. Levels of serotonin can be increased by a healthy diet (including eggs, cheese, salmon, nuts & seeds), good sleep, Vitamin D and plenty of sunshine.
Oxytocin; The chemical of Love. It is responsible for feelings of affection and attachment. It is a hormone produced by the hypothalamus and released by the pituitary gland. It is released when people snuggle up or bond socially, as well as being released during pregnancy and breastfeeding. It is associated with trust and belonging. If your trust has been betrayed, you will hold back which can leave you feeling like you don’t belong. One can build up more trust by being trustworthy oneself, having a pet and building rapport and connection, building trust with strangers, or even having a massage. These all stimulate the release of oxytocin.