In our advanced society, there is still a condition which is woefully misunderstood. It affects the wealthy as often as the economically deprived. It can strike women in big cities and those in more isolated areas. If one thing is for sure, it’s that those who suffer with it need help quickly. They require attention, support, and advice. When the ‘baby blues’ makes an appearance, a postpartum depression treatment must be sought.
The number of women who struggle with postpartum depression is higher than you might think. It is a common problem.
The number of women who struggle with postpartum depression is higher than you might think. It is a common problem. Most of us know somebody who has been diagnosed with it. Or, we have experienced it directly. If left untreated, it can have serious consequences. The health of newborn babies and their mothers may decline rapidly. So, finding effective coping strategies is very important.
While doctors usually prescribe medications, more women are opting for a different postpartum depression treatment. They want to alleviate the symptoms. They want to eliminate the negative thoughts and feelings. They do not, however, want to settle for drowsiness, low energy, and a disconnection from reality.
This is where self-hypnosis comes in. It can be used to permanently lift the mood. It reframes negative thoughts and supports a happier mental attitude. This guide to the benefits of using hypnotherapy for depression will explain how a professional consulting hypnotist can provide an effective and sustained solution.
Understanding Postpartum Depression
To understand how hypnosis can be used as a postpartum depression treatment, it is necessary to have an awareness of the condition. Recognizing the symptoms is vital. Yet, it can be difficult to diagnose postpartum depression. Many of the initial symptoms are a natural part of giving birth and becoming a mother. For example, tearfulness, mood swings, and irritability. These can all be caused by extreme hormone imbalances.
These imbalances are normal after such a major physical event. However, postpartum depression may be present if the feelings are persistent. They should not continue for more than a month after the birth. They should not be excessively intense, or attached to negative emotions about the child. One of the biggest dangers is a reluctance to admit to symptoms. This can happen if women feel ashamed about their feelings towards their baby.
It means that lots of women go without help. They may not seek an urgently needed treatment for their postpartum depression. If a woman is worried about having to take prescription medications, this might act also act as a motivation to conceal symptoms. With hypnotherapy for anxiety and depression, the treatment does not have to be so formal. It need not be frightening or uncomfortably personal in any way.
Traditional Forms of Postpartum Depression Treatment
Unlike temporary hormone imbalances, postpartum depression requires a targeted treatment. This is because it usually stems from feelings of worthlessness, inadequacy, and failure. These thought patterns can be brought on by extreme fatigue or stress. After all, caring for a new baby is a non-stop job. For first time mothers especially, concerns about ‘getting things wrong’ are always challenging. Just the weight of the responsibility can be so daunting that a new parent starts to mentally retreat.
These feelings may be exacerbated by money worries. They might be made worse by a lack of support from family or relationship troubles. Sometimes, postpartum depression manifests itself as an unwillingness to care for the new baby. This is why a postpartum depression treatment is urgently needed. It is the only way to keep both mother and child healthy.
The fastest solution is to prescribe drugs. The most widely used medications are Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, and Luvox.
For some women, these drugs can lead to the following side effects. They may cause dizziness, restlessness, cold symptoms, and nausea. Or, they can lead to constipation, weight gain, insomnia, and a low libido. It is common for new mothers to struggle with weight gain and a low sex drive. These are issues even without postpartum depression to complicate things. So, it should be easy to see why medication is not always the right answer.
A study conducted by Gonsalkorale et al. (2004) suggests that hypnotherapy could be a good alternative. It tested the responses of participants before, during, and after hypnosis treatments. The subjects given hypnotherapy exhibited more positive responses after treatment than those in a control group who were not given treatment. The subjects were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.
Using Hypnotism for Depression
When most people hear the word hypnotism, they think of stage performances. They imagine a man in a silly outfit trying to convince somebody to do something absurd.
However, this could not be further from the reality of professional hypnosis. It is carried out in a clinical setting. Or, it is provided in the form of audio recordings and self-hypnosis sessions. If you are asking yourself ‘Can hypnotherapy cure depression?’ the answer is yes. It just has to be performed correctly.
The use of hypnosis as a postpartum depression treatment has its roots in cognitive behavior therapy. It involves the disruption and reconstruction of negative thought patterns. This is sometimes referred to as reframing. The process identifies harmful thoughts and finds a way to permanently change them for the better. In some cases, this is achieved with symbolic narratives and carefully designed triggers. In others, NLP anchoring is used to replace negative associations with positive one.
The Most Commonly Used Hypnotherapy Techniques for Postpartum Depression Treatment
The following are the most commonly used hypnotherapy techniques for postpartum depression treatment. They include NLP Flash, Ericksonian conversational hypnosis, and visual imagery. These methods offer a less intense form of therapy for new mothers. They do not involve drugs. They do not require uncomfortably personal (clinically cold) interrogations. They are sensitive, gentle, and effective. This is precisely why they are now so popular.
This effectiveness is reinforced by Burrows et al. (2001). They believe that interrogative psychotherapy causes more harm than good. It forces depression sufferers to revisit painful memories and thoughts. In contrast, hypnotherapy generally uses positive association and mental imagery to reroute unwanted thought patterns. It does not directly expose vulnerable people to the very anxieties which are causing the problems.
The Power of Self-Hypnosis for Depression
You do not even have to spend time in a hypnotherapy office to use this postpartum depression treatment. Studies have shown that self-hypnosis can be just as effective as one-on-one sessions. The same techniques are used, but they are committed to audio recordings. These are usually available in either MP3 or CD form. They can be played whenever and wherever suits you best.
This is beneficial in a number of ways. For a start, new mothers are bound to struggle to find the time to attend therapy sessions. As an alternative, they can invest in an audio recording. Also, the cost of a CD is significantly less than a one-on-one session. If this recording is of a high quality, the results should be the same. However, it is important to pick a CD or MP3 which has been carefully designed by an expert.
When shopping, look for professional’s credentials. Then, when you browse, you will know which names and faces to pick out. To use hypnotic therapy for depression, take your recording to a quiet place. There should be little or no distractions. This means that pets and babies should not be in the room. For example, you could listen to a self-hypnosis CD while your child is sleeping. Or, you could designate a half-hour for ‘alone time’ when the child is visiting relatives or a babysitter.
Making Self-Hypnosis Work for You
All that you have to do is listen carefully to the instructions on the CD or MP3 recording. The more focused you are, the more effective the session. You do not need to search for triggers or cues. These will all be woven delicately into the recorded material. In fact, the best results will come if you allow yourself to be immersed by the storytelling or music. The power of hypnosis as a postpartum depression treatment is in its sensitivity and softness.
The results will not be instant. You should not expect to listen to the recording once and feel completely different. However, after a few weeks, your mood should start to change. Your negative feelings will grow lighter. You will find it easier to disrupt those harmful thought patterns before they take hold. And, in time, you will find it easier to deal with the stresses of raising a new baby.
Conclusion
As a postpartum depression treatment, hypnosis is very powerful. It speaks directly to the subconscious. This allows it to bypass many of the internal conflicts which obstruct real progress. Once these conflicts are removed, a positive mental attitude can return. Postpartum depression is an illness. It is not the fault of the sufferer. However, the sufferer can take steps to change their life for the better. This is an important step both for themselves and for their baby. It represents a healthy willingness to face the challenges of parenthood head on.
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