How to help someone with depression
Back in May 2010, Donna N wrote an important weblog for Dawning Visions Hypnosis, “Are You Truly Depressed? Maybe it is Something Else Entirely” in which she listed eighteen ways that one could have the syndrome of depression with fourteen of them contributed by diet alone. These would include deficiencies in one or more of the following: Folic acid, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B, Vitamin E and Vitamin K, calcium, copper, Iron magnesium, biotin, hypoglycemia which is low sugar combined with high cortisol levels, anemia which is caused by too little iron in the blood, food allergies which can cause inflammation of the gut, and excess caffeine.
In that article she missed that parasites could also create something now known as “leaky gut” which can cause all sorts of emotional looking issues such as anxiety, irritability, lack of sleep due to aches and pains mostly all due to malabsorption of nutrients from the food eaten.
It has become evident to me over the past few years that more of my clients are dealing with this sort of issue, versus just that of emotionally charged issues from their past histories.
In Donna’s case she had cleared her emotionally based depression with me back during the summer of 2008 never requiring antidepressants again this no longer being her issue. What was her issue was lack of energy, fuzzy mind, flu like aches and pains and feeling sleepy most of the day. She went forward to find out what was causing all these symptoms. During the past few months she has been seeing a “functional doctor”, a chiropractor who is well versed in nutritionally based medicine. He found that she had an infection of H. Pylori whjch can cause fatigue, depression and weight gain among many other symptoms. He also found that she had reactive hypoglycemia which means that she is really pre-diabetic with low blood sugars her body unable to use the insulin that it produces along with higher cortizol levels with an over active adrenal gland. This too can depress the body into fatigue and sleepiness.
On top of these two issues there seems to be a food allergy to eggs, a staple of her regular Saturday morning breakfasts which she has now had to give up. There are other food allergens that she needs to get tested for because she is still even two months into the process still feeling physically sick to her stomach, dealing with lack of energy and suffering from aches in her legs. These allergies are causing some form of inflammation which can cause these symptoms.
One other very important piece of information here for all of you who may be prescribed antidepressants. Donna didn’t have any of these difficulties to the degree that she has experienced them since she was first placed on 40 mg of Prozac for a “checking behavior” that got out of control. She was talked into the idea by her well meaning yet misguided ex-primary care doctor to help her through a difficult time. It was to be a very short term solution for the problem. However, the end result was Donna becoming very ill as she missed one dose of Prozac it having made her feel very ill seven hours after missing the dose and then five hours later, iexperiencing the DT’s, this being known as Antidepressant Discontinuation Syndrome. It was during the 3 ½ weeks that she was getting the Prozac out of her system that she experienced multiple physical and emotional symptoms some of which she believes are still with her. She certainly did not seem to have a problem eating and enjoying eggs, nuts, seeds, tea or coffee and yet she is now told that these substances are things that her body cannot tolerate. The hope is that once she heals her leaky gut, she will find that she is no longer allergic to these foods and will have the normal energy and contented disposition of someone who is healthy. However, until the rest of the story is written we will have to wait to find out what is creating all these symptoms that are taking the life out of a person who would like nothing more than to be able to go out and enjoy the nice weather doing things she enjoys with those she enjoys being with.
You need to understand that the body is a very complex mechanism and as such needs to be treated as such. When I do my free telephone consultations with prospective clients it is to “rule out” the physical reasons why one may be feeling emotionally upset. Only after that is done do I suggest that the person come in for a meeting to find out what may be the cause of the problem that prompted the call to me. That being said, the mind is the ruler of the person, especially the unconscious mind. However, one does need to be astutely aware that though the mind can be reframed to assist with many of the issues a client may have, there are many instances when the problem has more to do with some sort of physical distress where a medical intervention may be required even when the problem SEEMS to be emotional.
If you are feeling you are dealing with an emotional issue, I would suggest that you first look at physiological reasons that may be affecting you in this way. Once you are clear that the issue is based on some sort of emotional event that you have come through, then is the time to go for some emotional assistance with a competent hypnotist who realizes the complexity of the human condition respecting all levels of your being. Some times it is helpful to have the hypnotist work in concert with the medical professional to assist you in feeling better.
*The Dawning Visions Hypnosis Store is ready for your business. There are all sorts of books and MP3s for you to check out there, including the best hypnosis and NLP books for a lay person to understand.
Also, go over to the Dawning Visions Hypnosis, Inc. Facebook page and “like” the page if you find this information to be helpful to you. That would be much appreciated.
