Of all the mental health challenges facing people today, depression ranks among the most widespread issues tormenting millions across the globe. Depression as a condition covers various mental health problems that afflict people from all walks of life. If left untreated, depression can have a devastating effect on a person’s wellbeing, sometimes progressing to a point where a victim may take tragic measures to escape this debilitating and often overwhelming condition.

For decades, doctors and psychologists labelled people suffering from severe anxiety to mild bouts of sadness as simply “depressed” without the knowledge required to make a more specific diagnosis. This led to many people living in a constant state of despair, with little or no understanding from their friends and families. Although medications have evolved and advanced in recent times, alternative treatments such as hypnotherapy are challenging conventional measures in the fight against depression.

Figuring Out Depression

Depression is the term assigned to a group of conditions associated with affecting a person’s mood or mental wellbeing, such as chronic anxiety or bipolar disorder. According to the World Health Organisation, depression is the number one cause of disability worldwide, with over a quarter of a billion people suffering from this condition.

Depression is insidious. It can strike at any moment; it afflicts both young and old; it can range from mild to severe, and it can last for a couple of days or an entire lifetime. Symptoms vary from person to person, but the most common manifestations include:

• Depressed mood and energy levels
• Decreasing interest in activities that were previously enjoyed
• Changes in appetite
• Sleep interruptions
• Difficulty concentrating
• Loss of motivation or drive
• Negative feelings of worthlessness or guilt
• Suicidal thoughts
  
  

While depression that has been triggered by a trauma or stress sometimes corrects itself, in the vast majority of cases, treatment is necessary for alleviating the condition.

Depression Comes in Many Shapes and Forms

Depression can be subdivided into various categories, with each one manifesting with different symptoms or brought on by various stresses. While depression is still not 100% understood, we know enough about it to narrow the type and severity of specific depression in most patients, allowing for more focused treatments. Some of the most common forms of depression include:

• Clinical Depression – a disorder characterised by a deteriorating mood and loss of interest in everyday activities.
• Bipolar Disorder – is one of the more severe forms of depression, with patients showing extreme and often sudden changes in mood, from euphoric “highs” to deep “lows”.
• Postnatal (postpartum) depression – afflicts women who have recently given birth. Also called the “baby blues,” this condition is believed to occur due to changing hormone levels.
• Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD) – is a form of chronic depression that typically results in a person suffering a low mood for at least two years, with shorter bouts of time where they feel better.
  
  

Treating Depression

Managing depression can involve several different treatments, from medicating to intense psychotherapy and homeopathic, meditative, and even surgical procedures. While many of these treatments’ effectiveness are heavily debated, each patient is different, requiring extensive evaluation before specific remedies can be prescribed.

So Many Options, So Few Solutions

Anti-depressants and other drugs have been shown to have an increasing number of adverse and sometimes dangerous side effects for patients. Often, incorrect dosages only worsen the disorder, chronic medication expenses only create more stress, and the very nature of depression may mean that many patients simply refuse to take their meds at all.

Hypnotherapy for depression is steadily gaining recognition as a viable treatment in an era where the escalating mental health crisis requires every tool available to arrest the ever-growing problem of depression and anxiety disorders. As evidenced by a study conducted at the University of Hartford (Connecticut) by Leonard S. Milling, PhD, hypnotherapy is now backed by empirical evidence suggesting that hypnosis can be a very effective, non-invasive tool in alleviating the debilitating symptoms of depression.

Evidence-Backed Help

At Hypnocare, we are dedicated to taking on the fight against depression, joining the ranks of people like Dr Michael Yapko, a prominent therapist and proponent of using hypnotherapy to fight depression and anxiety. With more than 45% of Australians estimated to experience a mental health condition in their lifetime and around three million adults living with depression and anxiety every day, we, at Hypnocare, encourage patients to seek out emerging treatments that work.