Can Hypnotherapy Banish Suicidal Thoughts?

Can Hypnotherapy Banish Suicidal Thoughts?  When actor Robin Williams committed suicide, it shocked many people. Tributes around the world flooded social media.  People had to come to terms with the fact that one of the zaniest, funniest men on the planet was dead.  That he killed himself at the age of 63.  Suicide in men normally happens aged between 25 and 65 years old. Depression eventually overcame his desire to live despite hanging on as long as he did.

The Numbers

According to the World Health Organisation, depression is the number one leading disability in the world.   An estimated 350 million people globally suffer from it. Men are three times more likely to commit suicide than women, with depression normally being the major factor.

People regularly band the word ‘depression’ about freely.  “Oh, I can’t afford new shoes – I feel depressed!”  Or maybe,  “I’m working and can’t go to the pub – I’m so depressed!”   These are the same people who tell you they are ‘dying of flu’ when all they have is a head cold.  Along with they are literally ‘starving’ because they haven’t eaten in four hours!

The effect of Depression

Depression is a very real, debilitating condition and if you genuinely have it you will know! Some use the analogy of having a big, black cloud hanging over them; others say it’s like having a big, black dog following them around. We’ve all experienced days where there is an unusual stillness about the day.  It is almost as if the world has stopped revolving.  It feels like everything seems muffled and somehow unreal.  Also, there is something missing but you can’t put your finger on it.  In spite of this,  you just go about your day as usual.  Usually, until it passes or the wind whips up and the birds start singing again.

Living With Depression

Living with depression means every day feels like that. There is complete hopelessness like continually treading water never getting to the edge or touching the bottom. There is a feeling of detachment from even those closest to you. Life is futile and you cannot see any point in carrying on. Many will do nothing about it as they couldn’t put their loved ones through the grief. They carry on throughout their lives with a false smile forever on their face while they cry on the inside forever.  Undoubtedly,  fantasising about their life coming to a welcoming end.

Feeling Trapped by Depression

There can be many signs or none at all. For some, they cry out for help hoping someone will listen and help them. They may talk about killing themselves or that they feel useless and a burden. That they feel trapped.  Perhaps, they may drink more, abuse drugs, or sleep erratically.  Also, they may deliberately isolate themselves away from family and friends not wanting to go out or socialise.  Some may start getting their affairs in order or start giving away personal belongings.

However, for some, there is no prior warning, no signs, no indications they were ever even slightly unhappy.   The sort of guy who is the life and soul of the party.  Only afterwards do those closest to the suicide victim start recalling the odd incident and piece together their last few weeks or months.  Only then they may see the signs they so easily missed.

Can Hypnotherapy Banish Suicidal Thoughts

Depression is normally slow-growing, a continuum that gradually creeps up on the person before becoming all-consuming. Sometimes they don’t even know the root cause which makes them then feel guilty for having these feelings.   Robin Williams appeared to have it all.  Success, money, good health and a loving family among other things.  However, it is not enough when depression sets in.

Attachment

Many people assume winning the lottery would solve all their problems and they would be happy.  Or maybe if they were thinner or prettier all their problems and unhappiness would melt away.  However, change has to come from within.  Material wealth will make no difference to a person’s well-being and happiness.   Nor will cosmetically enhanced imagery or dieting.

Can Hypnotherapy Banish Suicidal Thoughts

Let’s consider the question fully, can hypnotherapy banish suicidal thoughts?  Maxwell Maltz was a famous plastic surgeon in the 1950s.  He noted that many of his patients with disfigurements were still unhappy after surgery.  Sadly, they still felt ugly after their face reconstructions.  However, their ugliness was felt from the inside.  They needed to change from the inside and their negativity addressed.  Ultimately, their physical appearance was not the issue.

Looking in the mirror, they still saw ugliness.  He realised their self-image was contorted.   The feelings associated with the pain they felt in the past whether physical or psychological were still there.

For some people, the psychological scars ran much deeper than any physical ones. In order to accept the physical change on the outside, they first had to address how they felt on the inside.

Can Hypnotherapy Help Depression?

There are many medications available to treat depression and episodic sadness.  However, many of these have side effects, some of which can make the patient feel worse before they feel better. Ironically side effects listed with the medication will often include ‘may have suicidal thoughts’.

Iris Chang a young American Activist and Human Rights campaigner committed suicide leaving behind a young son and loving husband.  Her mother wrote a book of her memoirs.  Iris sought medical intervention as she was desperately crying out for help. However, the only treatment she received was antidepressants.  Unfortunately, no other treatment or monitoring was offered.

Seeking the truth during her research for her book ‘The Rape of Nanking’ played heavily on her mind.  The Chinese massacre happened in 1937-38.  The stories she heard and the pictures she saw must have been horrific.   Ultimately, she could not cope with the magnitude of this Holocaust.  Along with the utter helplessness of the situation, people must have faced.

Although these drugs can help lift the person out of depression, they don’t tackle the underlying cause. However, it is important that advice and support is sought medical or otherwise as soon as depression is suspected.

Hypnotherapy -A Safe method

So can hypnotherapy banish suicidal thoughts? Well, a safe and effective way to combat depression is with hypnosis.  Hypnosis can successfully challenge the mental anguish and inner fight the person has with their mood and feelings of hopelessness. A good therapist will guide the person on a journey to a time when they felt uplifted.  Also, when life felt worth living and they were in a better frame of mind.  The whole process of hypnosis from beginning to end is beneficial to the person with depression. Furthermore, they are in a nice, relaxed environment.  Any memories or feelings that leave them uncomfortable do not need to be disclosed.  The therapy can be content free.

The Process

The hypnotherapist will respect the pace they want to go.   Sometimes just laying back relaxing, having someone to talk to can begin the process of recovery. For some people memories are what cause their depression. Something from the past that either happened to them or someone close to them can leave them spiralling downwards. The memory plays over and over again in their mind. Eventually,  it starts to consume them until it fully encompasses them.

Feelings of inadequacy run through their mind.  Perhaps they could do things differently or it could turn out better.   In this case, the therapist will work on how to change the feelings associated with the memories. He will use techniques proven to change their mindset.  The memories will remain but how they feel towards them will be totally different.  Subsequently, they will be emotionally removed from them.

Other reasons for depression could be because of a trauma suffered by the person.   This could be from abuse, the loss of a loved one, suffering from ill health or from environmental or financial hardship.  Again, the therapist will access the unconscious mind and teach methods to detach them from the negative feelings associated with the cause.  For example, the problem may be financial hardship that is causing the depression.  Obviously, the therapist won’t be able to improve their fortune. However, he can get them to disassociate from the panic and futile feelings that go hand in hand every time the problem arises.

The Survivors

We mustn’t forget the survivors of suicide.  The families who have to live with the anguish.  Perhaps of feeling helpless that they did not see the signs or take the person seriously assuming they were just feeling down. Survivors’ guilt can then lead to an overwhelming feeling of grief. If not treated this too can then lead to depression as they continuously battle with ‘what if’ and ‘if only’. Hypnosis can greatly help them look at the problem logically and alleviate their symptoms. This enables them to understand that they were not in any way to blame.  Sadly, they could. not have done anything differently.

It is easy to blame the suicide victim and say he was selfish. Selfish to put his family and friends through such a trauma.  Plus, selfish not to appreciate all they had whether in a material sense or having been much loved. In fact, they are very brave.  Many of them will have been suffering from inner anguish for years. Undoubtedly, they’re mental health suffering because they knew their families would be devastated.

The Stigma

Robin Williams would not have made this decision lightly nor would it have been on a whim. The pressure for someone like him to always be expected to be the ‘clown’ firing off jokes at the drop of a hat must have been enormous. He just simply could not take it anymore. Life became too difficult to live.

Stigma is still attached to depression.  When they hear the word ‘mental health’ many people back off. It is not a disease, nor is it catching.  Fortunately, it is very treatable and yet too many suffer sometimes for many years in silence.  We can help you embrace that black dog, and give it a pat on the head.  While acknowledging it then sending it on its way.  Also, we can help banish that dark cloud enabling you to see the sun shining in the sky once more so that you can see and appreciate life.

We can throw you that life jacket and guide you to the shore and enable you to live the life you deserve. Do not suffer in silence, let us help you live your life to the full.

Hopefully, this article has given you some answers to the question can Hypnotherapy banish suicidal thoughts.

For more information on the question can Hypnotherapy banish suicidal thoughts or to arrange a session in person or via Skype please contact me.

Share on Facebook

Tweet

Follow us

Save