Withdrawal
Index
6.1 Depression, relaxation and hypnotherapy
The Mindfields College research (see booklet reference above) shows
that depression is caused by inability to process concerns during
normal dreaming sleep. This precipitates the need for longer and more
frequent dreaming sleep sequences. Dreaming uses much energy. Therefore
more dreaming leaves the patient tired. In the extreme, as in our
case, almost a total lack of sleep for several weeks not only causes
tiredness but also psychosis. This is referred to by Mindfields as
like dreaming when awake and this was exactly how it was for us. Effective,
good quality relaxation is therefore fundamental to breaking this
cycle.
When the patient was first ill, it was recognised that there was
a need for relaxation but tranquillisers were given temporarily to
achieve this. They may have a short term benefit but they are not
a sustainable long term solution and, if persisted with, can quickly
build dependency. We didn’t persist with these. No one even
explained about deep breathing or meditation let alone taught it.
Repeated sessions of deep breathing were quickly effective in having
a small but noticeable effect. However the real benefits came from
hypnotherapy. Interestingly, the hospital outpatients’ department
did have relaxation classes but they were never offered until requested.
It was treated very much as a casual, unimportant piece of support.
It didn’t seem to be ever considered as part of the treatment.
We sought out an Uncommon Knowledge trained counsellor who practised
hypnotherapy with associated acupuncture. After just a few sessions
the eyes looked more normal immediately after the session despite
the medication being taken. However after a few weeks the counsellor
was concerned that the effect was not sticking for longer then a couple
of hours. She also felt that the illness was atypical of depression
in that the patient had hopes and aspirations about the future which
were not usual in severely depressed people. We were therefore recommended
to a nutritionist to see if there might be anything else wrong. The
nutritionist felt that her system as a whole was not functioning properly
and recommended some supplements and a urine test described below.
It was at this stage I realised we were being swamped by the drugs
and needed to start to withdraw more quickly from them.
The hypnotherapy was continued right through until the patient was
no longer taking the medication. As well as seeing the counsellor
a hypnotherapy tape called Peaceful Moments (available from Uncommon
Knowledge http://www.uncommon-knowledge.co.uk), was used once or twice
a day. This daily tape session was very effective. The focused hypnotherapy
employed by the counsellor was able to bring the patient into a fully
relaxed state but the tapes were also extremely effective in providing
good quality relaxation.
Go to Part 9...
