Overcoming Perfectionist Depression

"Self-critical depression is characterised by self-criticism and feelings of unworthiness, inferiority, failure, and guilt."
~Sidney J. Blatt, The Destructiveness of Perfectionism

Most of us make life harder for ourselves than it needs to be, but there are some of us who are driven impossibly hard to attain standards so unrealistic that depression seems a sure outcome.

Depression and suicide seem made for the perfectionist. This is sad to say, but it's true. It is such an important subject - perfectionist tendencies - because of the risks to mental, emotional, and spiritual health - that each of us could benefit a lot from debunking more and more of the perfectionist within us.

TWO BASIC TYPES OF DEPRESSION

We have already discussed the first type of depression - that which is achievement-oriented. The second type is dependent depression - dependent on relationships. Instead of unworthiness, inferiority, failure, and guilt, those with dependent depression tend to be characterised by feelings of loneliness, helplessness, and weakness.

The dependent depression is usually quite situational; when we experience loss, for instance.

But the achievement-oriented source of depression may be more woven into our identities. It is ironical that the perfectionist in us lacks self-esteem.

SEEING OUR INBORN WORTH

The God view, of course, is equalising. Nobody ought to see themselves as no lower (nor higher) than the next person. When we challenge our perfectionist tendencies, seeing how our striving is a response to feelings of low self-worth, we can go to God and appreciate how worthy we are in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Gospel is great in that it brings the extremes back into the middle; all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God, but that is not the end of the matter. Because of what was achieved on the cross, theologically at least, we have been created equal. Because of the resurrection, we have been lifted out of our lowliness.

Each of us is similarly and implicitly worthy, neither superior nor inferior to the next person, and equally capable of failure and guilt, with equal capacity to overcome these negatives.

***

Perfectionism can predispose us to depression, as we become slaves to meeting unattainable standards.

It is much healthier for us to deal with the reasons of perfectionist tendencies; why we might feel unworthy, inferior, or be overcome with feelings of failure or guilt.

When we view ourselves as God sees us - as worthy in his sight, as good as the next person, and able to deal effectively with failure and guilt - we know we are blessed. When we see ourselves as God sees us, we quickly challenge any perfectionist tendencies. To see ourselves as beautiful but broken persons is great insight to have.

© 2012 S. J. Wickham.

Different Ways to Eliminate Depression

Depression is an emotional disorder that affects millions of people all over the world. It is quite difficult to find a person who is unaffected by depression. Depression is characterized by lack of activity and a sense of pessimism. It is mental state of mind that can be quite overwhelming if it is not treated in time. People suffering from depression tend to feel pessimistic and this further leads to depression. It then becomes a vicious cycle that it hard to break and eventually the person lose the energy to cope with the challenges in life.

There are many ways to eliminate depression which include relaxation techniques and exercises. However, it is essential to consult a medical practitioner if there is constant feeling of worthlessness, lack of sleep and appetite and suicidal feelings.

Tips to Eliminate Depression

Vent your emotions: One of the best methods to eliminate depression is to vent emotions. Talk to a close friend, family member or any other trustworthy person. It is easier to reduce tension and stress by talking to a loved one. An experienced medical professional will also help to eliminate depression through proven techniques.

Balanced diet: Ensure that you consume a balanced diet with fresh fruits and vegetables so that helps to reduce the toxic elements in the body. It also provides all the necessary nutrients and vitamins that help to reduce stress and anxiety levels. Certain food items which are rich in vitamin B12 also help to reduce stress hormones.

Environment: Changes in the surroundings can also help to fight depression. Flowers, candles, sunshine and well ventilated rooms are quite assistive in reducing the harmful effects of depression.

Exercises: Regular exercises also help to reduce the effects of depression to a large extent. Exercises help to release endorphins or 'good feeling' hormones and thereby reduce the effects of depression. Yoga and other meditative techniques also help to reduce depression to a large extent. Both yoga and meditation help to strengthen the mind and the body. It helps to enhance the health of the body and the mind.

Alter your thoughts: Depression is mainly caused due to pessimistic beliefs and thoughts. It is important to change your mindset and thinking pattern to eliminate depression. Believe that the world has so much to offer and it is filled with opportunities and life.

Sufficient sleep: Imbalanced sleep can cause many health disorders. Depression is one of the health disorders caused due to lack of sleep.

Furthermore depression can be eliminated by availing small and trivial pleasures in life and engaging in enjoyable activities.

Do Antidepressants Really Have an Impact on Weight Loss?

Do antidepressant treatments really have an impact on weight loss?

Most "normal" medications are known to have side effects, which range from almost non-existent all the way up to quite serious and even life threatening. These side effects, if serious enough, then have to be treated by even more drugs and procedures. Kind of a vicious cycle.

Antidepressants are no different, in the fact that they have one particular side effect, namely, weight loss. This is thought to be brought about by the appetite suppressant qualities of the antidepressant.it is not recommended, however, to take antidepressants to aid in weight loss

Patients who are taking antidepressants are likely to be on their medication for a long period of time, and the weight loss associated with their treatment is normally temporary and the weight normally returns to normal a short while after the antidepressants have stopped being taken.

One antidepressant treatment called Buproprion has been reported to have the effect of substantial weight loss over a 2 year period.

Although this side effect is seen by many to be a double whammy and two results for the price of one. The FDA has laid down strict regulations on how manufacturers advertise their drugs, however, that doesn't stop doctors prescribing a drug to treat a condition other than the one the drug is designed and promoted for... for example, Amphetamines are advertised for the treatment of depression but they are widely prescribed for the treatment for obesity. This of course can be very dangerous as these medications can have the potential for being very addictive.

Socially, the public are turning a blind eye to the possible dangerous consequences of this practice, with the view being that "I'm feeling a lot happier and losing weight at the same time". Why would they complain about that?

Weight loss meds should not be taken lightly, even if they have been prescribed according to FDA guidelines and only people who are at high medical risk due to obesity, should consider this route. Which is why more and more people are going down the natural, herbal or homeopathic route. At least that way, it's known what you are putting in your body.

After all remember in the 1950's when doctors prescribed cigarettes to combat stress. Yes. So do the millions of cancer patients around the world. Just think about whats going in your body. Obviously, we definitely need conventional drugs and treatments, but surely not all of them.

Depression, Symptoms and Explanation

Depression is actually a kind of extreme sadness, feelings of disconnection from life, as well as a diminished enjoyment in the stuff that you used to love in everyday life. It is not a sign of weakness, everyone goes through depression at some point in life or another. Even though the severity and length of the depression can vary in accordance with the situation and the root cause of the depression.

Unfortunately severe depression could lead to suicide, identifying the symptoms of a suicidal person or seeing the signs and symptoms in yourself can help to save a life. The symptoms shown by a suicidal person are listed below:

Always thinking about, talking about, or writing about death or dying

Reckless behavior that could result in injury or death, actions that portray a so called "Death Wish"

Contacting loved ones either in person or remotely, in a way that seems unusual, like they are saying goodbye

Talking about "Wanting out" or that things would be better without the person here.

Talk of ending one's life, suicide

Signs of Clinical Depression (changes in sleeping or eating habits, sadness) that seem to be getting worse

loss of interest in things one used to love

Talking about things being 'hopeless', or that the individual is worthless, or feels helpless

Putting life's affairs in order as if the person expects to die soon

A sharp change from being sad and depressed to being happy and calm

If you, or somebody you know is showing any one of these symptoms please seek help immediately. You can call any of the following numbers:

1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255)

1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433)

1-800-799-4TTY (1-800-799-4889) (for the hearing impaired)

You can even call 911, a relative or friend or go to a local emergency room. Please remember life is not hopeless, and things will get better. People are here to help you, you don't have to do this alone.

Symptoms of Depression

Depression can effect everyone differently depending on the person involved and the situation that caused the depression. Below is a listing of common signs of depression:

Changes in sleeping patterns, Sleeping longer then normal, Insomnia, or waking up earlier then usual

Losing interest in activities you used to find enjoyable

Changes in appetite, reduced appetite or over eating

Loss of concentration, difficulty remembering things or difficulty making decisions

Feeling hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilt ridden, sad, anxious, empty or pessimistic

Cranky, irritable or restless disposition

Physical pain, cramps headache or stomach issues that don't seem to go away

General decrease in energy level, feeling tired or worn out all the time

Crying spells for no apparent reason

Suicidal thoughts, feelings or attempts (Please see section above on Suicide Symptoms)

Unfortunately not everyone will experience the same symptoms for the same causes. For instance most men will suffer symptoms of loss of interest in activities, feel cranky and restless, together with have physical pain and sleep problems. Women are more likely to over eat, and feel a sense of worthlessness and have a tendency to sleep too much. To complicate things, the signs and symptoms of depression can vary based upon how old you are. Teenagers for instance or more likely to be irritable and angry, and suffer a loss of concentration and might have physical symptoms of pains for no reason. Older adults however, generally suffer feelings of worthlessness and sadness, along with physical pain. Unfortunately in both teenagers and older adults, the signs and symptoms usually get brushed off as being merely a sign of how old they are and not as signs and symptoms of depression.

Types of Depression

There are numerous forms of depression, each may have a different cause and a different treatment. However, if you are struggling with just about any depression or general sense of sadness, worthlessness, or a loss of interesting in stuff you love, you may need to visit a doctor. Some kinds of depression are easily treated and could be taken care of without medication, but others are more quickly relieved with the aid of a doctor.

Major Depression

Major Depression is an overwhelming sensation of sadness, in addition to a decrease of interest and in most cases one of numerous symptoms in the above list. The most important thing that separates this kind of depression from other forms is that Major Depression is an almost constant state of being for a prolonged time period. Everyone has a day where they simply feel down and don't want to do anything, but a person being affected by major depression will feel very down for weeks or months at any given time with no real break in the feeling. Other kinds of depression will have lulls throughout the day where the feelings of depression seem to lift and you can be generally happy, they may not last very long but they are there, major depression doesn't have those lulls. If you are suffering from Major Depression I would definitely suggest you go visit a doctor, in addition to speak to friends regarding how you're feeling. I would also suggest you start to exercise more as exercise increases your serotonin levels and help you to get out many of the things that you're feeling.

Mild Depression

Mild depression which is also called Dysthymia, is described as feelings of depression that aren't as severe as major depression but last for years at any given time. This constant low grade depression has a tendency to impact your general level of enjoyment in life and could be easily dismissed as simply being your outlook on life. The fact is that if you have gone two years if not more with symptoms of depression as well as not being able to remember a time when you were happy you are most likely suffering from mild depression. In my own case I used to be depressed for several years, I just felt that it was how I was, just my state of being. I felt like I had lost a part of myself that I was enthusiastic about and that it merely wasn't going to come back. I needed to have a friend point out that feeling like that wasn't part of growing up, or simply a part of the situations I was in at that point in my life, but actually a sign of depression. In this instance, seeing your doctor might be a wise decision, along with some changes in your diet, sleeping habits and fitness level. For me, making sure I got 8 hours of sleep every night, working out at least three times a week for an hour (although I work out more frequently now), and starting a meditation routine was enough to drag me out of it. But you should always speak with a doctor, they may have some tips for you depending on your current physical condition that might be more helpful then exactly what is listed above.

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD (what a cheerful acronym) is a type of depression usually linked to the change in seasons, from summer to winter, and climates which may have dreary, gloomy weather. The change in seasons, which usually brings with it longer darker nights, less sunlight, and gloomier weather tends to cause a sense of depression in certain people. Women look like they're effected more then men by Seasonal Affective Disorder, but everyone can be effected by it from time to time. Fortunately, in the majority of people Seasonal Affective Disorder might be effectively treated with light therapy. Light therapy, although there may very well be different levels, basically involves exposing the individual to bright artificial lights to be able to cope with the depression. This can be done at your home by just installing light bulbs with a slightly higher wattage. Some people also like to use tanning beds as a technique of managing Seasonal Affective Disorder. Just don't over do it in the tanning beds. Additionally, it wouldn't hurt to ask your doctor's opinion on approaches to treat Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Postpartum Depression

Postpartum Depression is a kind of depression that affects new mothers after giving birth. Although some feelings of being down are expected right after a pregnancy, usually known as the "baby blues" Postpartum Depression is the result of the change in hormones from the level they had been at while being pregnant to the level they are at normally. Any depression that occurs up to six months following the birth of a baby is considered Postpartum Depression and you should consult a doctor considering the fact that this type of depression is caused by a shift in hormones.

Seasonal Depression - Whats It Like?

The daylight grows shorter and so does your mood. You feel tired all the time and hungry. You want cookies and toast. The jokes that used to make you laugh don't. Cute bunnies still make you smile, but the ahhh of cuteness just isn't there. You don't want to be around anybody, just a blanket to cuddle with. The worst is that you feel like your life is worth nothing. You only seem to think of the stupid things you've done or said. You only remember the dumb things you've done.

I always figured seasonal depression, was due to the end of the year coming and my birthday in the spring. I figured that I was facing the end of a year one way or the other and was looking back on my life and finding little. Those little things that make me irritated like traffic or dirty dishes left in the sink make me angry. The anger is followed by sadness, and then I feel hollow. I feel nothing. I am perfectly happy to sit and just stare.

I never paid much attention before. The depression came and it went, twice a year just like clockwork. But this year it seemed to come on sudden like. I decided to do some research. Maybe there was something I could do. Through research, I have discovered that I am not alone, that seasonal depression or seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is actually pretty common, especially in women. It is thought to be caused by hormones being out of whack. Genetics, age and your body's natural chemical makeup all play a role in SAD.

A lot of research has been done on the reduced amount of sunlight you are exposed to in fall and winter. This messes with the regulation of your body's internal clock telling you when to sleep or be awake. Reduced sunlight may also cause a drop in serotonin, a brain chemical that affects mood. Finally, research shows that melatonin, a sleep related hormone, increases during winter.

A therapy known as light therapy has shown a lot of good results. You have to purchase special light bulbs that simulate sunlight and basically stare at them for 30 minutes or so every day. More suggested therapies include: getting outside every day, getting plenty of exercise and eating right. If your symptoms are more severe, it is suggested that you seek out group or private therapy.

According to the Chinese, everything has a yin and yang which are opposite forces that complement each other. Yang is positive and yin is negative. In nature, the yin cycle begins in autumn and continues into spring. This winter cycle is associated with our kidney system, the root of our Qi (pronounced Chee) or our energy. During winter it is natural to crave foods high in calories the help keep the body warm. Unfortunately this screws up the natural balance in the body and throws off the Qi. Once again it is recommended to get outside, exercise and eat right. Acupuncture is also recommended.

Unemployment And Depression

Today is the start of a new day. You wake up in the morning and the first thing that hits you is the fact that you don't have a job. With the huge amount of unemployment and layoffs, you are not alone. But, in this case, "misery does not love company."

Most people are now hit with a feeling of devastation and the reality that they really don't know what to do. Along with this absurd upheaval of generally unexpected events, a new set of realistic worries come along with this position. How are you going to live? How can you support yourself and/or a family as well?

Life can be difficult under the best of circumstances.

We never really realized how true those adages that we heard were before we had to become responsible adults. Yes, youth is wasted on the young. Now, what?

Many people turn to negative ways to cope. Drugs and alcohol are temporary fixes that can only ultimately complicate your situation. You must be clear headed and be able to formulate a plan.

Start with making a list of everything that you are capable of doing. It can be as simple as changing a light bulb to running a company. List your attributes.

Sometimes there are positions available based on some of your underutilized talents. Talk to everyone and let them know what you can and are available to do.

Be flexible. Understand that you may have to start at a position less prestigious than the one you previously had.

A 63 year old male came to me feeling very anxious and depressed after being terminated from his position in the garment center as a salesman. For a full year, he tried to pursue other sales positions in the garment center, plus other areas, including dry cleaning companies supplying services to major hotels. All to no avail.

After over a year of unemployment, Alan (not his real name), realized he needed to think outside the box. Living near an affluent area of senior citizens, he decided to offer his services as a driver and helper. He advertised in local papers and put up fliers in the supermarkets and local stores. At a minimum of $25 an hour, Alan has built up a client base of 29 regular appointments, plus airport runs, doctor appointments and miscellaneous driving. It may not be his dream job, and it may not be forever, but he has a steady income and feels like a worthwhile member of his family.

Another patient, I will call Tom, had worked in a family owned jewelry company for 30 years. Now, at 55, after a family feud, the company dissolved along with Tom's position. He bartended, sold cars, became a handyman, and ultimately went to school to get his real estate degree. After successfully working at an agency for 1 year, Tom has gone back to school and became a home inspector as well, This will also increase his income. Tom has found his niche. He has never been happier.

Mary, 56 years old, married, no children, has been in publishing for as long as she can remember. She transferred from a large company to a small company several years ago. Her husband is an adjunct professor at a local college, and although employed, there is never a guarantee for the next semester. Recently, Mary's company went bankrupt. Her unemployment insurance is nearing its end. She is feeling a sense of panic but is looking at options.

She has always been the "go-to" person for her family and friends. We are now exploring opportunities as a "life coach".

The bottom line is someone who likes to cook, can do private catering for busy moms. A shopper can shop for those unable to leave their homes.

Think outside the box! There is something for you on the way to your dream job. It may even become your dream job!!!!

Recognize another aspect that is of utmost importance- your mental health. Give yourself permission to feel your feelings. It is quite normal to feel depressed and inadequate. You may even feel hopeless at times.

We all know that things change on a daily basis, and that tomorrow might bring us closer to our hopes and dreams for the future.

Take time out each day to do something positive for yourself that can boost your endorphins. Make a list of things that make you feel good. Going for a run, taking a bubble bath, watching a movie, getting a massage, taking a long walk- find things unrelated to your job search, so you can have some time out to enjoy your life without constant pressure. You don't have to spend every waking second trying to find employment. Trust that you are exactly where you are supposed to be.

Believe that this is an opportunity to grow and become a stronger, more adept individual. Surround yourself with positive people who are on your team.

Most of all, believe in yourself. Positive energy breeds positive energy. Keep it going and be patient. With each day, you are moving toward a new experience that may ultimately be a better place than where you have been.

And of course, remember, don't forget to laugh!!!!

Breaking Through Your Depression

Most of you have probably heard the commercial with the phrase "Depression hurts". Yes it does. The affects of depression can spread far and wide. What hurts more is that the commercial gives the allusion that by taking a medication, you are good to go. The problem is, the cause of the depression is still present, it is just being subdued.

In order to get to the root cause of depression, one must look inward. Many will seek out counseling and some are able to break through to the cause. However many are still left with their depression. Seeking out a counselor who specializes in hypnotherapy can increase your odds of a break through.

The use of hypnotherapy in a counseling session allows the client to access the conscious and the subconscious mind. The subconscious mind is the part which holds onto thoughts, emotions, and various information. Some of the information the subconscious mind holds onto is false. Unfortunately the person is not usually aware of what they have buried deeply in their subconscious mind, so they are unaware of the cause of their depression.

According to Dr. Rob Danoff, hypnosis can help depression in the following ways: Boosting confidence; Enhancing the belief that your traditional treatment plan will work; Decreasing pain perception; Improving sleep (which can do wonders to improve mood); Increasing motivation for activities (social interactions, exercise, others); Improving perception of self-worth; Improving belief about a brighter future; Enhancing coping skills to stressful events.

"Hypnosis offers a way to conceptualise how human beings construct their individual realities, and how to interact more effectively with others; in clinical hypnosis hypnotic processes are employed as agents of effective communication and change," says Dr. Yapko, who was chosen to write the sections on Treating Depression and Brief Therapy for the Encyclopaedia Britannica Medical and Health Annuals. "Our knowledge of depression has greatly improved in recent years, firmly establishing the essential role of psychotherapy in treatment. Whenever psychotherapy is indicated, so are specific identifiable patterns of hypnotic influence, since the two are fundamentally inseparable."

If you struggle with depression and have not found help from medication or psychotherapy, or would prefer to try an alternative treatment method regardless, hypnosis is definitely worth considering. It is essentially safe and many people have benefitted from it for a variety of disorders and undesirable behaviors or habits. All things that have happened to us are lodged within our subconscious mind. We have all the information we need inside our mind. Gaining access to this information can help understand the depression one is experiencing.

Take the time today to find a practitioner who can assist you on your journey to wellness. Contact The Patterson Center today and allow us to assist you on your journey to wellness. 248-884-7288

How To Live With Someone Suffering From Depression

Suffering from mental depression is one thing. Living with a person suffering from mental depression is another.

The person suffering from mental depression is often withdrawn, has minimal interests, and no self esteem. It's only natural that the person living with such a person would want to "fix them" by generating interests and building up how they feel about themselves. In fact it's probably a bigger challenge for the individual living with the depressed person than it is for the depressed person. Yet, generally there are few stress techniques for the person living with the depressed person.

Case in point: I once did a continuing education stress management program for a group of high school educators. One of the exercises was to deal with the stress of others being in emotional states. Half of the participants were instructed to be observers and the other half were instructed to "act" out an emotion. We started with happiness. Half the group acted happy as they walked about the room interacting with others who were likewise "acting out" happiness. The other half of the group were simply instructed to observe without any interaction or judgment. No one had any problem with this assignment. Then I had those who were observers switch roles and act out "confusion" while the other half of the group were observers. Again, no one had any problem with this assignment. However, subsequently when I had them act out "depression" some observers found it too emotionally disturbing to such a degree that I had to suspend the exercise.

It was far more a challenge for the observers than it was for the actors. Giving someone space to be depressed is a real challenge. The observers felt they needed to do something about those who were acting depressed. And this is generally true in relationship. It's often as painful to live with a depressed person as it is to be depressed.

And if you search the internet you'll find volumes of articles on how to overcome depression, yet you'll find few articles or resources or stress techniques on how to live with a depressed person which is clearly as stressful if not even more stressful as being depressed.

The typical approaches--trying to fix them, giving them pep talks, and so on rarely work. What does work is to give them loving space to feel the emotion. This is the best of all stress techniques.

Rather than hitting the "nail on the head" and saying something like, "You shouldn't be so down or depressed, you have so much going for you," it's more appropriate to say, "I sense that you are feeling a bit down--maybe somewhat depressed--I'm here to support you any way that I can and if you'd like to talk about it, I'm all ears." You can put this idea into your own vernacular. This, of all stress techniques, is the best approach.

Saying that you "sense that you are feeling down," avoids putting them on the defensive. Years ago, that would have been called "active listening." No one likes to admit that they feel depressed, angry, confused, have no self worth, and so on. Thus it's far more appropriate to tell them what you sense--after all you could be wrong and they will enlighten you to the issues if you are wrong.

Until they decide to confide in you and talk about the issue, this is the limit of your approach. However, when they do decide to talk about it, you'll want some stress techniques to empower them to handle their depression.

Most likely they are suffering from many disappointing changes in their life, or there's a situation or relationship in which they feel a conflict, or there's an identity crisis from changes in life such as retirement, loss of relationship, financial loss, and so on.

By knowing how to listen, you can know how to direct them to overcome their depression. By understanding the factors that lead to depression you can play a big part in their recovery. For there are supportive things to say and non supportive things to say.

Many depressed individuals don't feel good enough about themselves to do more than take medication. It helps to know more. For instance, most often there is a conflict between love and hate which until it's resolved, depression lingers on. The more effective you are at active listening rather than offering your opinions and understanding some of the dynamics that contribute to depression, the more effective you'll be.

Hypnosis to Overcome Depression

If you have ever struggled with depression, you know how difficult it is to be productive. When it is so hard to simply get out of bed or even eat regularly, how can you possibly work, keep house, or take care of a family? Your responsibilities do not diminish just because you hurt mentally and physically. If you find that you have given up on the things you have always enjoyed, and you simply do not feel emotionally able to handle your responsibilities, consider hypnosis.

Yes, there are medications for depression, but you may be concerned about their long-term effects. Are you worried that if you stop taking the medication your symptoms will come back? To really beat the overwhelming emotional and physical pain you need more than pills. While conventional therapies can help, in many cases they cannot cure depression because they only address your conscious feelings. Hypnosis can be used in conjunction with traditional mental health therapies to enable you to fight being depressed on the conscious and subconscious level.

You see, everything you have ever experienced is stored in your subconscious, along with your every thought and feeling. Sometimes, your subconscious will corrupt these memories or the thoughts and feelings associated with them, which directly affects your physical and emotional responses to any given situation today. What's more, you probably have no idea what memory is causing your sadness, or if the thoughts and feelings surrounding it have been exaggerated.

Hypnosis is effective because it works from within the subconscious. You and your hypnotist can work to identify the corrupted memory and then modify how it is perceived and used by your brain. You may be surprised to know that hypnosis feels nearly the same as when you get lost in a good book or movie, and lose track of time and are unaware of your surroundings. Your hypnotist is able to help you reach this natural state of being and then enhance your mind's ability to be quiet and eliminate distractions. Your hypnotist can help you turn your focus inward to find the initial sensitizing event. Then they can teach your subconscious that the situation from your past has no power in your life today. Through positive suggestions planted into your subconscious, your hypnotist can replace all those sad and negative thoughts with positive and truthful statements.

Through various hypnosis techniques including visualization, your hypnotist can reprogram how your subconscious mind reacts to challenges in your life. Instead of feeling overwhelmed, sad, and depressed, your hypnotist can teach your subconscious to focus on positive thoughts and feelings. Once you have eliminated the negative feelings, you will be able to concentrate on healing and enjoying life again.

By refocusing how your subconscious processes situations from the past and connects them to current events, you will be able to overcome the emotional and physical pains, recapture your positive outlook, and start enjoying life again. Hypnosis will help you overcome depression and give you the freedom to move forward through life in a positive, healthy manner.

Five Important Facts About Depression: The Silent Killer

Ever felt down in the dumps for a prolonged period of time? Feeling sinking farther and farther into the murky blues, like weighed down by a tremendous anchor? Feeling like nothing in the world can keep you afloat? Or that you are the world class good-for-nothing bum and an absolute waste of space? Well then I reckon it's the time to read this article and analyze yourself, for you exhibit the classic symptoms of depression.

In layman's terms, depression is a deep sinking feeling commonly associated with sadness. People suffering from depression define it as sadness, hopelessness and dejection. The feeling of despondency refuses to fade away and often cannot be attributed to a triggering factor. Depression manifests itself in a wide range of symptoms which commonly includes sleep disturbances (commonly referred to as hypo-somnia or insomnia), appetite disturbances, low mood, hopelessness and lethargy; none of which can be discarded simply at will. These symptoms persist for the minimum period of two weeks at length. You might associate it with the normal 'healthy' depression that you experience as a result of a distressing experience but once this bone-chilling sadness begins to interfere recurrently with your normal routine or diversely influences your psycho-motor skills, well it's time to be serious and face the reality: you have depression.

The first fact you need to realize is that depression is a real illness, a full-blown disorder. Simply put, our brain contains chemicals that are responsible for our moods. Depression disorder is caused by their unprompted imbalance in the brain. Sometimes a person may suffer due to a severe loss but clinical depression is simply a spontaneous malfunctioning in the brain. Thus a person is helpless in respect to this disorder, so you should not conclude that you are somehow responsible for it.

Secondly depression does not only affect the brain but often displays itself physically. It creates and augments all sorts of body aches and pains. These include chronic joint pain, limb pain, back pain, chest pain and headaches. The person feels inexplicable fatigue and weakness and droopy self esteem. Because these symptoms crop up with many conditions, many people never get help, because very few people are able to identify that these are symptoms of depression.

Thirdly, depression deranges your ability to concentrate, analyze and think. Thus people find it hard to focus or make a decision. Their cognitive functions are severely disturbed and they might find it hard to learn or recall events or details.

Fourthly, depression causes a persistent irritability and peevishness and consequently, social impairment. The patient is easily inflamed by the slightest provocation from the family or friends, or can be very touchy about trifling matters. Thus he suddenly finds himself wishing to isolate himself from everybody or hiding his inner feelings from the others. However this self-imposed isolation is the most dangerous of all.

This self imposed isolation is dangerous because the patient often entertains self-destructive thoughts, which leads us to the last truth: suicide. This is the biggest damage depression can cause. The patient has recurrent ideas, thoughts or even daydreams about death, as his life seems to stretch hopeless before him regardless of the fact that he is reasonably well-settled. He thinks about suicide, including the suicide plan, the attempt and the life after. The fact remains that he does not conjure this up by himself; these thoughts are generated by themselves. Thus if the patient shows the slightest indication towards suicide, he should be taken to a hospital and treated by a professional at once, as well monitored vigilantly.

Depression may conceal itself tenfold and strike very subtly, thus one needs to be heedful. Hope this article helps you protect you and your loved ones from this devious killer.