Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses in our society and treatment often requires a lot of trial and error. Depression is commonly treated with a variety of medications, supplements, and therapy, but these treatments can take 6-12 weeks to show any improvement. Hypnosis is a valuable supplement to these options to cover the times when treatment isn’t working and prevent relapses.
Depressed people often experience a high degree of anxiety, troublesome physical symptoms, and negative self-perceptions that hypnosis can relieve. Relaxation is at the core of hypnosis and can be taught relatively quickly to alleviate anxiety and improve sleep. Hypnotic suggestions can also be used to strengthen self-esteem and motivation, which tend to be low in depressed patients, and to expand awareness of emotions beyond the negative. Most importantly, the process of hypnosis shows patients the power of their own mind and instills hope that their depression can be treated.
