The first step towards healing from depression is reaching out for the right help. Therapy for depression focuses on your unique needs. It offers a range of techniques to manage symptoms, improve resilience, and create a renewed sense of purpose. Contact me to see how I can help you.
- Book a free 20-minute Discovery call, available on Zoom or by phone
- Call me to book an appointment or get questions answered – 01977 678593
- Email me
What Are The Symptoms of Depression?
Depression is a mood disorder and it’s much more common than you’d think. Around 17% of people experienced it during the summer of 2021 and, although numbers do seem to be coming down, they are still above what they were before the COVID pandemic. [1] Despite this, it’s much misunderstood, and not everyone who experiences it recognises what they’re going through.
Although depression ranges from mild to severe, it’s more than feeling ‘down’ or ‘sad’ for a few days. It’s one of those conditions that affects each of us differently, but you might have depression if you:
- feel sad, hopeless (‘what’s the point?’) or deeply unhappy,
- can’t be bothered to do things you used to enjoy,
- feel tearful or find yourself crying for no specific reason,
- feel tired or listless a lot,
- find concentrating on things more difficult than usual,
- change your behaviour patterns around food, sleep, or sex,
- think about self-harm, death, or suicide.
People who are depressed often experience stress or anxiety as well, which can make it difficult to get the right help.
How To Get Help For Depression
The first thing is to tell someone you trust how you are feeling and talk to your GP. Take the other person with you if you find this easier. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health and your GP will be able to advise on the options open to you, including lifestyle changes and therapies which can be used alongside or instead of medication.
Your needs in this regard will depend on your circumstances, health, and the severity of your depression, which is why a medical opinion is important.
Download A Free Mental Health CV
This free download of a mental health CV can be useful in helping you explain your situation to a therapist or doctor.
Can Hypnotherapy Help Depression?
Help is at hand. Depression can range from mild and temporary to more severe or long-lasting, so the right approach depends on your individual circumstances. For some people, hypnotherapy may be enough on its own. For others, it’s most effective alongside counselling, coaching or support from your GP or other healthcare professionals.
Hypnotherapy can help by reducing stress and anxiety, improving sleep, boosting motivation and making it easier to begin making the small changes that gradually help you feel more like yourself again.
Lifestyle changes can also play an important part in recovery, for example:
- getting more exercise and making time for yourself,
- reducing alcohol, tobacco and highly processed foods,
- improving sleep and daily routines,
- reconnecting with people and activities you enjoy.
The difficulty, of course, is that depression often robs you of the energy and motivation needed to make those changes. You may know exactly what would help, yet still find it difficult to get started. One of the aims of hypnotherapy is to help bridge that gap, making those first small steps feel more achievable.
Ready to Take The Next Step?
Every client is different, so the first step is simply a conversation. If you’d like to find out whether hypnotherapy is right for you, book a free Discovery Call, and we’ll talk about what you’d like to achieve, answer your questions, and decide together whether I’m the right person to help.
Reference:
[1] https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/wellbeing/articles/coronavirusanddepressioninadultsgreatbritain/julytoaugust2021
