Depression can seem like a death sentence.
You fear you may be going mad and be reminded of a crazy relative (we all have one!). One client's fear was exactly that - she would end up like her mad aunt who caused chaos and upset. She had never married and my client's view as this was how she was going to end up - mentally unstable and single.
Of course, the fear was driving the stress and when all we can think about is what we don't want, it can be a self fulfilling prophesy as this is the course you have set your mind on. Treatment consisted of challenging the "evidence" about her depression, about her aunt. My client could see understand that her aunt did have a psychiatric illness, it was not depression.
My client was very different to her aunt as her aunt had been in and out of psychiatric institutions from a young age. My client was having a bad time having come out of a long relationship. With my skills as a hypnotherapist and NLP practitioner I was able to help this client sort out what was going on inside her head at a subconscious level. Another common fear amongst clients is the issue of taking medication.
The fears consist of dependence on the medication, not wanting to take anything to delay a pregnancy or the fear of not being in control. My view is to see the medication as a crutch - it is there to support you while you sort out what is going on inside. In time, you can become free of your medication depending on the level of depression. But it does not change you or weakened you. However, if you are adamant about not using medication then seek hypnotherapy as a first choice of treatment.
Many times I am told by clients that I am their last call, if what I can do doesn't work for them, then it is hopeless. Talking does not make depression go away; medications do not make depression go away and ignoring symptoms does not make depression go away. The only way is to control your symptoms of depression. You have to accept it is now part of you but does not need to define you. Once you can master your symptoms of depression, you are in control. When you stop fighting the fear of being "crazy", you are gaining control that you have, indeed, a special gift - you are very connected to your sense of self.
You become a great observer of yourself - you can allow your depression to signal when you need to take of yourself so your highs are never quite so high and lows not so low. The unease is inside you, whether it is dealing with unwanted thoughts or not feeling anything, so it is important to re-establish a communication within yourself and focus on how you want to be. There is still a stigma attached to emotional upset and it can be you may find yourself using words like "stressed" and "fed up" in lieu of the word depression.
Depression in itself will affect people differently. Not all depressed people will have suicidal thoughts. When despair and hopelessness enter the mix, this is where danger lies in those suffering from depression because one day the pros and cons list that you create may indicate that today is the day you leave this earth.
Self harm is just a way to let of the pressure build up. Seek help. There is always hope but sometimes it can be very well hidden. Hypnotherapy and NLP are modalities to help you move forward. They can take you from where you are now to where you want to be. You are dealing with the inner parts of your mind, where our sense of self lives. Depression sufferers tend to have been very sensitive as children, creative and in tune with the feelings of others. It is a strength but becomes a weakness if this is your view.
Gaining control of your depressive part will enable to you to see what its message is, to accept it and to get it to work for you rather than against. Your mind becomes clearer and your energy improves. You can be an active participant in life again and find joy. Click Here!
