An article in the Daily Mail last week talked about how using the wrong drugs could actually be causing depression rather than helping it.
When we feel tired and find it hard to get out of bed in the morning, there has been some concern in the media recently that family doctors diagnose depression too easily.
According to a new book by Professor Jane Plant, a London University College scientist, called Beating Stress, Anxiety and Depression, many of the two million people in the UK who take antidepressants are actually misdiagnosed.
‘A study by an American psychiatrist found that more than 10 per cent of patients diagnosed with mental illness are actually suffering from an underlying physical condition, such as a heart murmur or a mineral deficiency such as calcium or magnesium that causes depression-like symptoms,’ says Professor Plant.
Many believe that within the NHS, there is too much emphasis on a ‘one size fits all’ approach and feel that other methods should be taken into consideration, such as using alternatives where possible, such as counselling, psychotherapy and other forms of stress management.
For example, many people suffering from anxiety react well to cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as this looks at their existing patterns of behaviours and triggers and trains them to react and think differently, so they can avoid anxiety at different situations. CBT is often combined with relaxation therapies, such as hypnotherapy, to make it even more effective. It’s also a relatively quick therapy and there is no need for drugs.
However, even the alternative treatments should be considered for individual cases. For example, CBT would not be as helpful for someone with post-natal depression, for example, as this is considered a hormonal issue and is best treated by support, counselling or psychotherapy where needed.
We live in a nation where we are sometimes too hasty to turn to drugs, our doctors are overworked and alternative treatments and therapies are often still overlooked by many.
Hypnotherapy can be used for many ailments, including many clearly emotional, such as self-confidence and also those that you may not at first believe could be connected to your mind.
When diagnosed with arthritis, it can be devastating. Such a chronic illness can lead people to feel many negative emotions, such as anger and depression. This in turn can lead to insomnia, mood issues and a lack of appetite.
Furthermore, many wonder what their future may be like, what medication they’ll require and as such this can lead to losing the self-image they have held of themselves for many years.
Naturally, there are many physical things you can do to help, such as changing your diet to avoid dairy and fat. This can minimise the inflammation and reduce your pain. Many people lead a pain free life whilst still having arthritis.
Hypnotherapy can help in reducing the pain and regaining self-image. Techniques such as visualisation and positive affirmations are used. Arthritis is an ongoing condition and so many people prefer to have three or more session with a hypnotherapist to start them off. A good hypnotherapist will be able to teach you self hypnosis techiques that you can then continue to use yourself at home.
Self hypnosis helps to focus the mind on the body and your immune system. Many find that it helps to control stress and negative emotions, which do directly affect your symptoms. Many also find it reduces the pain felt.
When you partake in any physical activity or sport, many people start to find reasons for failing before they’ve even set out. In recent years, many have come to accept that your mental state is an important factor in anything that you do, and that includes sport or athletics. Yet, it is still one of the most neglected areas in sports training. Is it really possible that hypnotherapy can be used to help train your mind to help you achieve your physical goals?
We need to learn to use our minds in a positive way and we tend to get what we focus on. We need to learn to expect success rather than failure and this makes a key difference in anything we do.
Hypnotherapy can help you to change your focus and our approach, to make us feel more confident, set realistic goals, reduce anxiety and maintain a positive attitude. Hypnotherapy has been used in sports therapy for many decades and is still little known. Famous sports stars have used hypnotherapy, for example, Tiger Woods for his golf. Many of them, however, prefer to keep this quiet because of the age old myths and misconceptions about hypnosis.
Hypnotherapy is a highly effective method to improve your mental attitude and focus and like anything else, practice and preparation improves performance. When times are tough, when you’re feeling mentally or physically exhausted, your hypnotherapy sessions will kick in. You will be able to shake off discouragement and anxiety and focus on the matter in hand. Concentration and technique will be easier to find. A hypnotherapy session for sports enhancement can be customised to the individual and when combined with CBT techniques, hypnosis can be even more effective.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, otherwise known as CBT, is a form of psychotherapy most effective in a face to face consultation with a therapist. It is a form of counselling based upon individual assumptions, beliefs and behaviours and modifying those by developing new behaviour.
The technique is easily adaptable to individual clients by identifying key areas, associated feelings and thoughts.
It is commonly used in conjunction with relaxation methods and distraction techniques. For this reason, it is an ideal therapy to combine with something like hypnotherapy. By doing this, the client gets the advantages of both therapies. Hypnotherapy, when combined with cognitive behavioural therapy, is incredibly effective and many clients feel the benefit after as little as just one single session.
The use of hypnotherapy and CBT separately have both been shown to work very well with children and adolescents as well.
CBT is commonly used for anxiety disorders, mood problems, trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Cognitive behavioural therapy can also be used as a stand alone therapy if necessary.
This weekend, the Times told the story of one boy’s experience with bedwetting and how it was cured using hypnotherapy.
The boy, aged 9, grew up with a normal background but was still wetting the bed by age seven. The problem was causing him embarrassment and making him withdrawn at school and socially, as it does with many young children. Using hypnosis, the boy was cured within three months after years of suffering and attempts at many different treatments.
Bedwetting is also known as nocturnal enuresis and is very common in children, particularly in boys, according to the NHS. It is particularly common in those aged under seven years old.
Children are particularly receptive to hypnosis and hypnotherapy because they are still very used to using their imagination so they usually find it quite easy. Guided imagery can be a little like storytime to them. When searching for a hypnotherapist, be sure to use someone who has experience in working with children. Most hypnotherapists offer a free initial hypnotherapy consultation for a free chat, where you can be sure that you or your child feels comfortable with the hypnotherapist and can ask any questions that you’d like.
The publicity of hypnosis has been poorly presented over the years and as a result many people have misconceptions about hypnosis and confuse hypnosis with hypnotherapy. Hypnosis is the state of relaxation achieved and hypnotherapy is the use of hypnosis for therapeutic benefit.
Many people feel apprehensive when they go for their first hypnotherapy appointment because they aren’t sure what to expect. Here is a list of five common myths about hypnotherapy:
1 - The hypnotist can make you do anything. This is false. Hypnotherapy relies on you being willing and a hypnotherapist would not even try to make you do anything you did not want to
2 - You are asleep or unconscious. This is false. You will not be asleep or unconscious, in fact, you are only relaxed and will hear what is said
3 - You won’t be able to open your eyes. Another falsehood, you can open your eyes at any time you want to
4 - It is dangerous. This is not true. Hypnosis is a perfectly safe, controlled method of relaxation and therapy anda safe way for you to access your subconscious mind
5 - It is guaranteed. Again, this is not true. Hypnosis is not magic and although it has a very high success rate and works quickly in a matter of just a few sessions, like anything in life it is not 100% guaranteed
If you are considering hypnotherapy, be sure to choose a qualified hypnotherapist with a reputable company.
Yesterday, one of the UK’s top psychiatrists told the Belfast High Court that the families of the victims of the Omagh tragedy has received inappropriate treatment.
This is week six of the trial and Dr Nicholas Cooling, a psychotherapist and psychiatrist of more than 25 years, suggested to the court that had the right treatment been available, many of these families would have been able to move on.
Dr Cooling said that many of them suffered from Post Traumatic Stress disorder and chronic depression and the counselling that they had received had not been beneficial.
Dr Cooling recommended that therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy with psychotherapy would have been much better than the counselling they had received.
“Unfortunately the help available was not effective. None of these people had any effective psychotherapy intervention,” he told the court.
Psychotherapy can be extremely effective when dealing with deep issues, in particular where distress is being caused from past situations.
An article in the Telegraph today talked about a bride who has enrolled herself in hypnotherapy to cure her fear of vomiting, otherwise known as emetophobia. In fact, she is so scared of vomiting on her wedding dress that she has postponed her big day until she has been cured.
19 year old, Emma Pelling, is a trainee vet and has suffered from emetophobia for the last five years. She feels the irrational fear has stemmed from a time when she was sick in front of her classmates and felt embarrassed.
This week, Ms Pelling will visit a hypnotherapist to try to cure her problem.
Hypnotherapy is a great, and often speedy, therapy to cure phobias and emetophobia is a debilitating problem for its sufferers who often steer clear of places where they have previously been sick or feel the fear strongly.
It is important that sufferers do not feel alone, there is help available and Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy, counselling and psychotherapy can all help to cure this problem completely.
The first thing to clarify when talking about hypnosis or hypnotherapy, is that you can forget the swinging fob watch, the ‘look into my eyes’ mantra and clucking like a chicken.
Hypnotherapy is hypnosis used for therapeutic purposes and the above methods of hypnosis are used for stage hypnotism.
In a hypnotherapy session, the therapist will talk to you and place you in a highly relaxed state. Hypnotherapy is an enjoyable experience and allowing you to feel refreshed and relaxed afterwards.
To help you achieve this highly relaxed state, the therapist will talk you through a series of exercises, which may include muscle relaxation exercises or a visualisation.
A hypnotherapy session will usually consist of four parts:
The first is a fact find, where the hypnotherapist will talk to you about your issue and what you want to get out of the hypnotherapy session
The second is what the therapists refer to as the ‘induction’ - it sounds scary but this is simply the process we talked about above, i.e. getting you into a relaxed state
The third is the hypnotherapy itself, where the therapist will talk to you and help you to achieve what you want to
Finally, the therapist will end the hypnosis, bringing you gently out of the relaxed state.
Hypnosis is a wonderful feeling and a relatively quick therapy, so many people feel a difference after just one or two sessions.
This week, from the 2nd June to the 8th June, is National Hypnotherapy Week. National Hypnotherapy Week is sponsored by the National Council for Hypnotherapists.
In recent years, hypnotherapy has seen a surge in popularity as more and more people come to recognise its benefits. In many practices, hypnotherapy is combined with other complementary therapies, such as NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), to gain the maximum benefit tailored to the individual.
Hypnotherapy is a safe and fast solution. Amongst other things, hypnotherapy has helped people with smoking cessation, weight loss, confidence issues such as self esteem, public speaking and performance anxiety and phobias from needles, dogs and spiders.
Hypnotherapy is as effective with children as it is with adults. Indeed, children often find it easier to enter the relaxed state required as its so similar to what they do when playing and using their imagination. Many children have found hypnotherapy to solve common childhood issues such as bedwetting, nail-biting, nightmares, food phobias and exam stress.
When combined with NLP, hypnotherapy can help both adults and children identify unhelpful patterns of thought, feelings and behaviour and to create new, more helpful patterns to help them overcome problems in their day-to-day lives.
When considering a hypnotherapist, check that they are registered with at least one of the national hypnotherapy bodies.