Defeating depression
What is Depression?
Depression is a disorder that involves the body, mood and thoughts, and can affect the way you feel about yourself, the way you eat and sleep, and the way you think about things. It is quite normal for most people to feel a little down or pessimistic from time to time. However depression is more than just a passing mood, so consider how frequently it happens, how severe is it when it happens, and how long it last each time. It is important to realise that depression is not a sign of weakness and that it is not easy for the depressed person to just 'pull themselves together' and get better by themselves. Without any form of treatment the symptoms can often go on for months or years.
Symptoms of Depression
Depression may affect both the mind and body, so
symptoms fall
into three main categories, physical, behavioural and emotional.
It is very important for you to discuss your symptoms with your doctor so that a full medical assessment can be made. Do not self diagnose.
This list below is not complete, and most people with depression will not experience all of these symptoms. The symptoms, or intensity of the symptoms may also vary over time.
Some Common Symptoms of Depression may include:
| Persistent sadness | Anxiety | 'Empty' mood |
| Sense of hopelessness | Pessimism | Feelings of Guilt |
| Sense of worthlessness | Sense of helplessness | Loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed |
| Decreased energy | Feeling fatigued | Poor concentration |
| Poor memory | Difficulty making decisions | Insomnia |
| Change in appetite | Weight loss or gain | Thoughts of death, suicide |
| Restlessness | Irritability | Inexplicable aches and pains |
| Inappropriate behaviour | Digestive disorders | Headaches |
| Racing thoughts | Poor judgement | Feeling defeated |
| Loss of libido |
PLEASE NOTE: If you are suffering from any of the above symptoms then get them checked out by a doctor right away, it is important for you to discuss your symptoms with your doctor to obtain a professional diagnosis.
how is it treated?
Anti-depressant medication, on a doctor's prescription, can be
very
helpful in addressing the imbalances in brain chemistry which occur in
the depressed state. However, it is my experience, both as a pharmacist
and a former sufferer of depression, that medication is not necessarily
a permanent solution to the problem. The problem lies in the way we
think; and the way we think
is what causes that chemical imbalance in the first place, so to change
the way we feel, we must change the way we think. Of course, when you
are depressed, that's much easier said than done! that's where therapy
can help.
The majority of depressed patients are best treated by using analytical hypnotherapy,
as there is often a lot of anxiety present which frequently
is
rooted in past events. However, before embarking on hypno-analysis the
present-day symptoms need to be addressed using solution-focussed
therapy based on the work of Dr Michael Yapko, an
acknowledged expert in the field of depressive illness. Michael's web site
is well worth a visit, as it contains many interesting articles and
self-help material for the depression sufferer. I also use a good deal
of cognitive behavioural therapy
(CBT) techniques in my work with depressed patients.
On average, treatment takes 10-12 sessions. More information can be found by following the links above.
