Depression
Depression affects around one in 10 people, which presents itself in people differently and has a variety of symptoms and causes of problems with your health, relationships and well-being. The low mood which characterises depression is not the same as just having a bad day. Sufferers of depression often have to cope with a wide range of emotions and physical effects, which impact day-to-day life the approach used at our clinic is a variety of therapeutic techniques that combines psycho-dynamic psychotherapy with hypnotherapy.
What causes depression
There is no known cause for depression, nor any decisive explanation as to why it is a gradually occurring problem in some people and a sudden illness in others. A tendency to depression can be inherited genetically. It can also be the result of traumatic past experiences, neglect or abuse, or can be triggered by an upsetting event, such as a bereavement or the end of a relationship. In general, depression is thought to be the result of negative interactions between genetics, life experience and body chemistry.
It is important to remember that anyone can get depressed, regardless of age, background, advantages or disadvantages; so sympathy is key.
Gastrointestinal Symptoms
People with depression may have frequent stomach problems, such as nausea, bloating, diarrhoea, or constipation.
Immunity
Stress can also make a person’s immune system work less optimally, meaning they're more likely to get sick. When someone with a weakened immune system does get sick, it may take longer for them to get better.
Some infections, like the common cold, are generally not serious. However, a weak immune system puts a person at risk for developing complications from an infection or contracting an infection that is harder to treat.
The relationship between immune function and depression is still being researched. Some studies have hypothesized that chronic stress may cause an inflammatory response that can change how mood-regulating chemicals in the brain work.
Sleep Problems
When doctors and mental health professionals are considering a diagnosis of depression, sleep disorders are among the “core” symptoms they look for.
People who are depressed often have trouble sleeping. Problems may range from struggling to fall or stay asleep, being unable to get restful sleep, or sleeping too much.
The relationship between depression and sleep goes both ways, as having trouble sleeping for any reason (such as a medical condition like sleep apnea) increases a person’s risk for depression.
Some research has suggested that disturbances in circadian rhythm (which can interrupt sleep) may contribute to depression. Understanding and even learning how to alter the sleep-wake cycle is one avenue researchers are exploring as they search for new ways to treat depression.
Psychomotor Symptoms
The term “psychomotor” refers to symptoms that make a person feel as though they are thinking and/or moving at a different pace than usual.
For example, some people with depression perceive their thoughts as sluggish and feel like their movements seem heavy. Others experience symptoms at the opposite end of the spectrum. They may say that they "can’t sit still," or feel fidgety, restless, and agitated. Mentally, they may experience anxious or even intrusive thoughts.
To some extent, psychomotor symptoms become more common as someone gets older. However, while depression in the elderly is also common, it is not a normal part of aging. For this reason, doctors and mental health professionals need to also consider the possibility that psychomotor changes may be a sign of depression rather than just a part of aging.
Depression and therapy
Depression is debilitating and can affect not only how you feel about yourself but also impacts your relationships and career. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for depression works to help you understand triggers and replace them with healthy coping strategies. We use a variety of therapeutic techniques CBT, NLP with the integration of hypnotherapy and psychotherapy render it a successful way to identify and understand depression and behavioural traits that might be causing and maintaining the client's depression. Cognitive Hypnotherapy gets to the root cause of the depression problem and changes the perception patterns and empowers the client to feel calm and manage negative emotions.
