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hypnotherapy and depression

LifeCare Diagnostic

May 29, 2019

Statistics on Mental Health in Malaysia show that the prevalence of mental health problems among adults in Kuala Lumpur is 39.8%. Mental Illness will be the second biggest health problem affecting Malaysians after heart diseases by the year 2020. Depression falls into this mental health category.

(Source: National Health & Morbidity Survey 2015)

Depression can affect a person briefly, just an episode in a lifetime. It can however be chronic or recurrent which has a deep impact on life. This unwelcome interference creates conflicts in relationships and its debilitating conditions may lead to suicide.

How does it affect the person?

A person suffering from depression will feel

  • exhausted,
  • terrified with anxiety and
  • Confused as to what is happening to him/her.

Depression can also progress to physical symptoms.  Persons suffering from this condition will be more susceptible to illness and have difficulty to function in routine tasks. Relationships also suffer because a person who suffers from depression changes in his/ her behavior and affects the people around. A lot of social, emotional and financial problem arises due to a loved one suffering from depression.

There is a strong stigma within our society about mental illness which causes sufferers to shy away from seeking help. However it is important to understand that mental illness is also just another form of illness, like the common cold or even cancer. We should be able to talk about it, seek help openly and resist feeling shameful to admit its there.

Hypnotherapy is an effective and safe alternative treatment to overcome depression. Recent studies have shown that Hypnotherapy is more effect than many other talk therapy. Hypnotherapy has no unpleasant side effects and provides long lasting effectiveness against recurrences.

There is a false perception to Hypnotherapy where people think that the therapist will have total control over the patient, just like what we see in movies! Hypnotherapy is actually a process of relaxation techniques employed by the therapist. It is an altered state of awareness. An individual needs to feel at ease with and trust the therapist for Hypnotherapy to be effective.

This is also why children respond very well to Hypnotherapy and they need less sessions to overcome their issues. They are creative, receptive and more suggestible. They have vivid imaginations to access the subconscious mind. Besides they do not have years of conditioning and resistance like adults do.

In a gentle and calm process, Hypnotherapy addresses underlying causes to dispel negative thoughts that generally comes with depression.

Hypnotherapy helps the patient to identify triggers that may not be apparent consciously. It reduces anxiety, alleviates anxious thoughts and feelings and the patient learns to respond effectively. Positive affirmations, suggestions and imagery during this subconscious process give the patient a new sense of freedom. It gives a deep motivation for openness and change and therefore the patient becomes happier.

Joyce Hue is a Mind Therapist, specializing in anxiety & depression cases. She uses elements of Clinical Hypnosis, Emotional Freedom Technique, Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR) & Sleep Talk for Children in her sessions. You can read up more about her on www.joycehue.com.my

KKLIU 1600/2021

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