Dr. Ahmed
Imagine waking up each morning and wanting to hit the snooze button. But, not for a few more minutes of sleep but rather to avoid the constant nagging of thoughts in your head.
Those thoughts bring whispers of doubts, which lead to an insecure personality. This is the dilemma a person with depression goes through every day.
Depression can manifest in several forms and no human being is safe from its shackles considering the times we live in.
With hectic schedules and a supposedly boring life, there is a dire need for an immediate solution. And we got one for you.
Hypnosis is not a new concept but it can sound a little scary. Trying this to manage depressive episodes can actually help a lot. Here is everything you need to know.
Hypnosis can reach the power within you.
Here is another scenario: Try imagining a control panel inside your head, like the ones you see on computers.
This panel can govern each thought and emotion about your life. In people who struggle with depression or anxiety, this system is rigged.
It constantly points to the negative perspectives and hopelessness is its favourite thing to feel.
In this case, hypnosis is not a magic bullet, it is a tool or key which can open the damaged control panel and allow us to see where all these emotions are coming from.
This way you can rewire everything and take on a new perspective in life. It is all about empowering your inner voice and keeping you in charge of each feeling.
Pre-hypnosis stage
Think of it as a pre-talk phase, during which the expert will provide the complete plan for your meeting.
This phase ensures a comfortable and successful experience for you. Here is what happens during this phase.
Client history and assessment
The therapist will ask you about the details of your depression including its severity, duration, and any causing events.
Talking about your health history, way of living and current medications may be part of this.
Explanation of hypnosis
Hypnotherapists will define hypnosis and clarify its misunderstandings. They will deal with any worries about hypnosis and remove any misinformation you may have.
Setting goals and expectations
You and the hypnotherapist are going to work together to set goals for your hypnosis session.
In this case of depression, you may involve lowering depression symptoms, boosting motivation, or promoting sleep. It’s key to have fair information regarding the effect of hypnosis.
The induction phase during hypnosis
The beginning stage of hypnosis follows the pre-hypnosis stage. Here hypnosis therapist will lead you into a trance-like, calm condition. Here is a basic explanation of what to plan for.
Deepening relaxation
To help you achieve a deeper level of relaxation, the hypnotherapists utilize the relaxation techniques you learned during the pre-hypnosis phase.
Your attention will turn towards the inside, and you will feel pleasantly at ease.
Suggestions for change:
The hypnotherapists will offer helpful suggestions meant to deal with your depression while you are in an attentive condition
- Decreasing self-examination and negative thinking.
- Build emotions of hope and confidence.
- Increasing energy and motivation.
- Encouraging rest and good sleep.
The hypnosis will speak to your unconscious mind, which is thought to be involved in mood regulation, directly through the use of specific language and symbols.
While you are in an anxious state, the hypnotists will provide you with useful tips for managing your depression. These suggestions might focus on the following:
Unconscious response
The best experience you can have during a hypnotherapy session is the unconscious responses which can be a physiological change.
Such deep breathing or slower heart rate shows that your unconscious mind is listening to the suggestions.
After that, the professional will use these suggestions to guide your unconscious mind toward a desired outcome in the next stage. All of this is already discussed in the pre-hypnosis stage so there will be no surprises.
Hypnosis session
Deepening the Work and Parts Therapy
This stage is often used by hypnotherapists to dive deeper into your unconsciousness and explore opportunities to make changes.
Techniques like parts therapy (identifying and working with inner conflicts) or age regression (revisiting past experiences) are used to pinpoint the causes of depression.
Nevertheless, these methods are not practiced by every hypnotherapist and should be performed by a qualified professional only.
Ego Strengthening and Future Pacing
The practitioner will take suggestions from you to build your self-esteem. This way you can connect with your inner thoughts and realize your self-worth.
You will be guided through a visual perspective about yourself where you’re doing well in the future and facing challenges with courage.
Emergence and Integration
The entire session will end at an emergency phase where the professional will guide you out of the hypnotic state. You will be brought back to complete awareness.
Lastly, they will discuss the experience you had and look for any positive changes you felt during the session.
