Depression may be caused by psychological, biological, social and environmental factors, and the symptoms of depression may be improved by alternatives to antidepressant medications.  

 

In A Mind of Your Own, Kelly Brogan, a psychiatrist certified in integrative holistic medicine, suggests that antidepressants overpromise and under deliver. Focusing instead on a reset in lifestyle, Brogan supplies a 30-day action plan outlining steps to control blood sugar levels, support gut biome and test thyroid function.  

 

Concentrating on the biology of depression, Brogan investigates effects of common exposures (i.e. tap water, body lotions) and drugs (i.e. over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers, birth control pills) that can lead to depression. Based on her medical training and research, Brogan focuses on eating nutritious foods, detoxifying the environment and adding meditation, sleep and exercise to balance daily life and reduce or relieve depression.

 

Additional modalities can also offer a lifestyle reset to relieve depression, and premier among these is hypnosis or hypnotherapy. David Hartman, licensed clinical social worker, and Diane Zimberoff, licensed marriage and family therapist, published research on the positive effects of hypnosis for reducing or relieving depression in the Journal of Heart Centered Therapies. Since hypnotherapy treats underlying stress and looks at the source of problems, some going back to early childhood, it allows the patient access to that great data bank of the subconscious. 

 

People often struggle with depression as a side effect of pain, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), cancer, arthritis, insomnia and dementia.  Hypnotherapy can help with all of these conditions, and people who have experienced hypnosis understand that physical issues can have emotional roots. Hypnotherapy allows patients to take steps toward releasing the hold of depression in their lives. 

 

 

Annelle Soponis, Ph.D., is board certified by the National Guild of Hypnotists and the owner of Bridge Hypnosis, located at 6 Hearthstone Dr., in Reading. For more information, call 610-509-7610, email [email protected] or visit BridgeHypnosis.com.