by David Kamikaze

Created on: April 22, 2009

Can depression be alleviated by hypnosis? Hypnosis is a powerful form of therapy when used in the right way, and in conjunction with proper medical intervention. However, before the question can be answered we must define what hypnosis is, and what it is used for primarily.

Hypnosis is defined as the process of placing an individual into a physical and mental state of deep relaxation - an altered state of consciousness whereby the individual can be given beneficial suggestions in such a manner that the mind is more likely to take heed. Hypnotherapy as a whole is classified as the science and usage of hypnosis to treat and allieviate various psychological conditions, however in such processes hypnosis is rarely used as a single method of treatment - the individual will still often need other medical interventions to speed up their transition and recovery.

Depression, a condition I live with like so many others, is a psychological disorder that affects not just the mind but the function of the body. Many consider depression as nothing more than feeling low, but for the majority it can be and often is much more. It affects how the body sleeps and rests, it affects an individuals attention span, their appetite, and can often make them prone to addictions that would ordinarily not be on their mind. It can affect how someone feels about themselves, others and their own perceptions of the world. Depression can be caused by many factors - it can be genetic, it can be caused by extreme stress and it can also be down to hormonal and chemical imbalances within the body that affect how their brain functions. But depression is often not the catch-all term people think - depression is an illness that often has no cure and as such sufferers tend to have to learn to deal with it for the rest of their lives.

We need to know this because depression in itself is a difficult illness to diagnose properly. There are three major types of depression as well and it can often be difficult for doctors to judge as to which state of mind a person is in. But there are physical as well as mental changes involved in the condition, for which hypnosis can offer little to no help. You cannot influence the subconscious mind, for example, to cheer up when the depression stems from a hormonal imbalance - this can often only be treated with a change of lifestyle and/or diet ,as well as medication and councilling.

Fixing a broken mind is a long and arduous progress. Hypnosis cannot directly cure or relieve

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