Hypnosis for
Depressions and
Burn-out
Depression
Depression is a mental illness that can manifest itself in numerous complaints. Persistent depressed mood, inhibition of drive and thinking, loss of interest, and multiple physical symptoms ranging from insomnia to appetite disorders to pain are all possible signs of depression.
Depression occurs in all ages. The likelihood of developing depression during life is between 7 and 18%.
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Women are about twice as likely as men to be affected. The number of unreported cases is probably much higher, as many depressions appear "masked" and the symptoms in men are often different from those of women, like aggression, feelings of anger and addictions are the main focus of men.
Main symptoms:
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Low mood, deep sadness, loss of interest & joylessness, listlessness and lack of energy often after only a little effort.
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Concentration & decision difficulty, lack of self-esteem & confidence.
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Feeling guilt & constant pondering, feelings of worthlessness & overburdening, negative & pessimistic thoughts about the future, inner emptiness, distance from friends & relatives.
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Suicidal thoughts or acts of suicide, anxiety and restlessness, loss of sexual interest
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Physical symptoms such as: tiredness, fatigue & lack of energy, insomnia, change in eating habits, usually loss of appetite, weight loss or increase, headache, back pain, stomach / intestinal complaints, body aches, unusual slowness, increased sensitivity to pain.
Endogenous depression and hypnosis:
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The treatment of endogenous depression (e.g., organic depression: genetic defect, hormonal imbalance, symptoms of intoxication, etc.) with hypnosis has proven to be very difficult, often completely ineffective and at worst, worsening of symptoms.
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Most cases to be treated are neurotic depressions and not endogenous variants. Basically, endogenous depression could also be treated with hypnosis.
If there are endogenous / organic depressions, the use of hypnosis should be best only in the clinical environment; to be able to intervene, if necessary, with medication.
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Reactive depression is depression that, unlike endogenous depression, has no organic cause. They can occur, for example, as a result of very drastic or sad events (job loss, death of a relative, failure of a relationship ...), but also persistent pressure (permanently bad-tempered supervisor, job risk, over-indebtedness, familial problem situations such as a child with difficulty or long-term marital problems) and are more likely to be seen as a behavioural disorder than as an independent disease independent of external conditions (such as endogenous depression).
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In the treatment of reactive depression, hypnosis treatment regularly produces excellent results, and it is these same findings that have given hypnosis such good press regarding its effectiveness in the treatment of depression.
Notice:
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In severe depression, treatment with antidepressants is the first choice and often requires inpatient treatment.
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Moderate depression includes antidepressants, psychotherapy or a combination of both.
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In mild depression, no medication is usually required. Here lies the main field of application of psychotherapeutic interventions (eg hypnosis treatment).
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For the treatment of mild to maximum moderate depression, the hypnosis treatments are also well suited. The patient sees his biographical development of depression and becomes aware of when he acted against his will and needs. The connections between the development of depression and the way of life became clear. In the course of treatment, the patient develops a sense of his potentialities that help him find his way out of depression.
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Deep state hypnotic relaxation therapies are used in the treatment of depression, especially in reactive depression or depression associated with arousal states.
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Psychotropic drugs can affect the nervous system in ways that make the effects of hypnosis difficult to assess, and are often used because of disorders where the use of hypnosis is anyway inappropriate.
Burn-Out
The term burnout stands for "total exhaustion". Such a condition can affect anyone. Teachers suffer as much as e.g. managers, nurses, single parents, retirees, unemployed, housewives or students, who can feel their energy batteries empty.
The disease was first described by volunteers and people working in the health and care professions.
Stress is a situation that is unpleasant for the individual and that he can not avoid or influence because he lacks the appropriate competence or resource.
The situation seems uncontrollable, triggering a sense of helplessness. Helplessness and powerlessness are the biggest stress for people. This means that the stress comes not from a particular situation, but from our thoughts about the situation and the evaluation of the same.
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The external conditions need not be changed to treat the burn-out, but the inner reality must be known and processed. Only then can one enter into an equal dialogue with external reality. That's why it usually does not help to change jobs.
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Burnout does not arise in the mind and can not be solved by the mind alone.
Many sufferers even know theoretically how they should behave in terms of their own health (intelligence is usually the slightest problem in burn-out patients) and fail precisely because they do not go beyond the rational level.
Symptoms:
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Deep exhaustion, no possibility to "switch off", psychosomatic complaints, feelings of lack of recognition, detachment, cynicism, performance losses. It expresses itself emotionally and mentally, but can also occur in the form of psychosomatic complaints. Each affected person shows an individual pattern of symptoms and complaints. This change depends on the stage of the disease. However, the main symptom of burnout is a feeling of deep fatigue.
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In the initial phase of a burnout, the affected person usually puts a lot of energy into his tasks but can not switch off anymore, does not recover properly, is less efficient and then has to expend even more energy to master his tasks. This starts a vicious circle.
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Then comes a 2nd and 3rd phase, when those concerned expect to be given something back for their great commitment. If they are disappointed, they slip into a strong frustration. Compassion and sympathy for others (empathy) decreases. Impact on the family life. Those affected place even greater demands on their partner without giving anything back.
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Emotional reactions come: depression, aggression, blame. They blame either the environment or themselves. The former leads to aggression, and the latter contributes to a depressive mood (feelings of powerlessness and helplessness, feelings of inner emptiness, crumbling self-esteem, pessimism, anxiety, depression, listlessness).
Then comes a 4th, 5th and 6th phase and those affected are more likely to make mistakes or forget appointments, inability to handle complex tasks; undifferentiated black and white thinking. The lack of energy also leads to an emotional retreat.
There are also psychosomatic reactions: sleep disorders and nightmares, muscle tension, back pain, headache, increased blood pressure, palpitations and tightness in the chest, nausea and indigestion (vomiting or diarrhoea), sexual problems, severe weight gain or loss as a result of changing eating habits, increased consumption of nicotine, alcohol or caffeine, increased susceptibility to infection.
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At the end, despair. Feeling of helplessness to a general hopelessness. Life seems pointless in this phase and suicidal thoughts emerge.
Prevention: taking care of one's own needs, managing stress, reducing perfectionism, defining and pursuing clear personal goals, building good self-acceptance, social contacts, healthy lifestyle.
Who is the subject of a Burnout?
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Basically, it can hit anyone, yet everyone reacts differently to stress. Especially people with a high performance motive, a lot of dedication and ambition, very self-critical, insecure or who can´t say "no" are at risk. But many burnout processes also start when the fundamental life situation changes. This can be the start of the studies or career, job change or new supervisor, for example.
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They are many reasons at work or in social or / and private life, self-exaggeration or stress due to external circumstances.
The following strategies can help you:
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Stress management and relaxation techniques: such as autogenic training, progressive muscle relaxation, breathing exercises, meditation (mindfulness exercises).
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Targeted relaxation: Only a few can switch off the thought carousel on command. But targeted relaxation can be learned.
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Self-awareness: Burnout usually goes unnoticed. Regularly ask yourself how much stress you have and how satisfied you are with your life.
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Defining Clear Life Goals: Find out what goals are really important to you in life. This allows you to use your energy in a targeted manner. Also try to say goodbye to ideas that others have inspired you with. Only in this way do you not get bogged down in energy-consuming projects that ultimately do not satisfy you.
Strengthening self-acceptance: People with a strong self-acceptance also have a self-confidence that is independent of success. This reduces the risk of over-commitment and the feeling of being exploited.
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Healthy lifestyle: A healthy lifestyle can prevent burnout. This includes a balanced diet, but above all regular sports or exercise - helps to reduce stress. Limit consumption of stimulants (e.g., nicotine, caffeine) or stimulants (e.g., alcohol, sugar). You will not only feel fitter, but without the chemical impulses, you may also go less over your personal limits.
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Look for help: If you experience an elevated level of stress or typical symptoms of burnout for an extended period of time, you should always consult a doctor, psychotherapist or hypnosis. The sooner a burnout is detected, the better the chances of recovery.
One goal of burnout treatment is therefore to recognize the problematic patterns and to gradually change them.
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Remember:
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When the first symptoms such as persistent fatigue, exhaustion or sleep disturbances occur, affected people usually first visit the family doctor. In an anamnesis interview, the patient will ask the patient about his complaints and special burdens.
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Further investigation may exclude a physical cause of the condition. Inexplicable tiredness and fatigue can also indicate, for example, a malfunction of the thyroid gland or another serious physical illness. This can be detected among other things in the context of a blood test.
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However, if the suspicion of burnout becomes apparent, the family doctor will refer you to a specialist. This is in this case a psychological or medical psychotherapist.
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The symptoms of burnout overlap with those of other disorders, such as chronic fatigue syndrome. Above all, there are overlaps with the depression.
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Many of the symptoms of burnout, especially the deep emotional exhaustion, are actually also indicative of depression. Signs of loss of interest and motivation are also signs of depression, but the general sense of self-esteem that plagues many depressives is not typical of people with burnout.
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In addition to psychotherapeutic support, medications can also help with burnout - especially if more severe depressive symptoms occur.
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Please, read the contraindication / application restrictions page of this website before contacting us