Postnatal depression, is a form of clinical depression which can affect parents after childbirth.

The depression usually occurs in women after they have carried a child, often happening within the first few months. Symptoms include sadness, fatigue, insomnia, appetite changes, reduced libido, crying episodes, anxiety, and irritability.

The cause has not been found but it is said that lack of vitamins or a significant change in women’s hormones can bring about the change. However hormonal treatment has been shown to make no improvement to the sufferer’s life. More women tend to benefit more from the support of a close friendship group or counselling.

Hypnotherapy works with the subconscious mind which works together with whatever it is we are feeling internally. If a mother is getting to grips with things but is still plagued by images of her previous depressed state then she is giving permission to her subconscious mind to still feel stressed so the unconscious wanting always to help will keep her in a state of restless and tensed “fight or flight” response, believing that she is in constant danger. However, hypnotherapy can help to retrain the subconscious mind to not feel these thoughts.

Hypnotherapy can be of great help after the person’s level of depression has been treated to a mild-moderate level through anti-depressants. Often mothers feel better with anti-depressants and sleeping tablets but they feel a lack of control over their feelings and thoughts and want to regain those skills that they used in their past to deal with stressful situations.

At the same time the self-esteem and self-image of women can take a deep blow and many require  support and sometimes professional help to get them back to a normal and healthy sense of self. Hypnotherapy works beautifully in restoring that self-esteem by re-programming the unconscious mind into how the person wants to be and by retrieving past resources through trance and using them again.

Once a Mother has grown back in her self-esteem and self-confidence and she can carry on practising the constructive programming of her mind through the SELF-HYPNOSIS that I teach my clients, she can enjoy being herself once again.

If you are someone who is suffering with what you think might be postnatal depression please seek advice and support from your GP. If you feel like hypnotherapy is something that could work for you in this instance then you can contact me and I will be happy to help you through this difficult time.