Hypnosis for Depression: Does It Actually Work?

hypnosis for depression

The benefits of hypnosis are severely overlooked.

As we learn more and more about the state of mental health in 2019, it becomes clear that different measures need to be taken. Medical advancements have been made to help those with anxiety, depression, and PTSD, but there are other things that you can do to get to the heart of matters.

Hypnosis isn’t a novelty, though some have dismissed it as such. Hypnotherapy can have powerful effects on the subconscious mind. Depression is a deeply ingrained mental illness that you can’t always solve with drugs and therapy. It’s something that has profound effects on the way you live, love, and act.

In this post, we’re going to talk about the potential positive effect that hypnosis for depression can have. There are a lot of skeptics out there, so let’s figure out what exactly hypnotherapy does and whether or not it can help improve mental health.

Hypnosis for Depression: Does It Work?

According to the World Health Organization, about 16 million Americans suffer from depression. It’s a serious mental illness that can put a hopeless spin on someone’s life. It’s not as simple as cheering up or making a change in your life, it’s a subconscious mental illness that’s hard to beat.

It’s hard to say whether or not hypnosis can truly help with depression, but one thing’s for certain: you don’t know if you don’t try. Digging deeper into a person’s mind can unearth a lot, but it’s not always helpful or positive.

Most of what we are as humans is buried deep in our subconscious mind. How we react to daily mishaps, how we respond to stress and trauma, and our anxiety and depression is embedded in us. When we’re conscious, we inherently put up walls and distract ourselves from what’s hidden inside.

That’s where hypnosis and hypnotherapy come in. If we can knock those walls of self-consciousness down, then we can better look and find out what’s within us causing these psychological problems.

Let’s now take a look at how hypnotherapy works and whether it’s a viable option to aide with mental illnesses like depression and anxiety.

How Does Hypnosis Work?

If you’re not familiar with hypnotherapy, you’re not alone. It’s a subsect of hypnosis, where a subject is put into a calm, trance-like state. This is meant to promote a sense of focus and calmness, where the walls of consciousness fade away and people are more able to look within themselves.

It’s been practiced for hundreds of years around the world. It’s helped people quit smoking, deal with addiction, and the trouble associated with various medical conditions.

It’s also widely believed to help sufferers better deal with depression and anxiety. The idea is that in a state of trance, people are more able to discuss their emotions without triggering episodes of depression or anxiety.

A hypnotherapy session would typically last around an hour, where a trained hypnotist would guide you into a sense of relaxation and calmness, ultimately achieving a hypnotic state. In this state, you’re still conscious and self-aware, but less aware of your surroundings.

The idea is that you’re more connected and focused on yourself and your body and mind. When people think of hypnosis, they usually picture a hypnotist having their way with a subject that’s deep in a trance. The reality with hypnotherapy is that the subject is more responsive to questions and suggestions from the therapist.

How Does It Help Treat Depression?

While it almost certainly won’t work for everyone, hypnotherapy is a viable alternative to more invasive therapies and huge amounts of medication. It’s a safe treatment for depression with few known side-effects. 

You can also partake in hypnotherapy in addition to other types of therapy and medication. It can complement these things and give you a better chance of finding happiness within. There’s no doubt that it promotes a sense of calm, relaxation, hopefulness, and well-being.

It’s also said that hypnotherapy can better help a subject control their feelings of stress, anxiety, and sadness. All of these things are at the heart of what depression does to control a person’s psyche. It’s not a happy vs. sad situation, it’s an overwhelming feeling of despair that encompasses every part of you.

What Will the Therapist Do?

You’ll first talk to the hypnotherapist about what you want to accomplish during your session. In this case, it’s dealing with your depression, but you’ll probably get more specific than that.

When the therapy begins, your hypnotist will guide you into a calm and receptive state using a calming voice and visualization techniques. Once you’re focused, they’ll begin to make statements and ask you leading questions to get to the bottom of why you’re feeling the way you are.

In a sense, the hypnosis is another way of letting your guard down, much as you do in normal therapy. In hypnotherapy, however, you’re much more relaxed an comfortable with speaking about your feelings.

Things to Remember

Do some research and find a reputable hypnotherapist that specializes in dealing with anxiety and depression. Check on their certifications and speak to past clients to get an idea of what you’re getting into. The more you trust your therapist, the fewer hesitations you’ll have about getting hypnotized.

Focus on the positive changes that you want to make instead of approaching hypnotherapy with skepticism. Remaining open-minded will go a long way for promoting wellness and dealing with your depression.

Remember also that you’re not going to be completely out of it. You’re going to be conscious and remember everything that happened in your session. Your hypnotherapist is there to guide you through the session, not examine you. It’s a partnership that you’re entering, with the common goal of making you feel better.

Find Your Hypnotist Today

Will hypnosis for depression work for you? You won’t know until you try. At the very least, you’ll be able to search within yourself to find a sense of calm and wellness. Dealing with depression is a life long journey and you’ve got to come at it from different perspectives all the time.

To try out a hypnotherapy session with a renowned hypnotist that has been featured on TV and that has worked with thousands of people to help them overcome obstacles in their lives contact us.

While you’re on the site, please visit the blog, where you’ll find other interesting posts about the benefits of hypnosis for PTSD, drug abuse, and other mental illnesses.

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