Post by alison on Mar 9, 2016 13:16:15 GMT
I believe there can be numerous triggers for clinical depression, but no single cause. I don’t view clinical depression as a ‘biological disease’ and I accept the notion of the human mind/body as part of a complex adaptive system in relationship with the environment.
In terms of working with depression I find the BeeLeaf contemporary psychotherapy model of anxiety and depression excellent. In this model, depression can be viewed as the system self-regulating - just as anxiety is the system self-regulating. The ‘system’ naturally ‘moves’ between an anxiety state and a rest/digest state (a self-regulating system) in accordance with environment, life events, tunconscious processes, sensed experiences, cognitions etc. Problems occur when a myriad of potential factors (environmental, lifestyle, thinking styles etc) result in the system becoming ‘stuck’ either in an anxiety state (anxiety disorder) or rest/digest state (clinical depression). Or when regulation occurs as a result of swinging from anxiety to depression.
The BeeLeaf model includes working with environmental, physiological, cognitive, unconscious and somatic intelligence to ‘shift’ the stuck state and support a more effective self-regulation.
The following quote is quite simplistic, but I like how it challenges the commonly used phrase ‘chemical imbalance’ so often used to explain depression. As I see it, our ‘chemicals’ are never fixed, balanced, constant or static. We are in constant relationship with our environment – and of course numerous other factors influence our ‘chemicals’ … thinking style, lifestyle, alcohol, drugs, adverse life experiences, diet, exercise etc ….. :
“Depression is actually a state of high arousal. Depressed people have higher concentrations of stress hormones (cortisol, noradrenaline) than non-depressed people. The apathy and exhaustion seen in depressed people is a consequence of too much arousal, and the way the body and mind respond to this arousal” www.clinical-depression.co.uk/depression-faq/is-depression-caused-by-chemical-imbalance/
I believe the best treatment for depression is holistic in approach and supports self-regulation.
Yes, I think depression is both over-diagnosed and over medicated.
The ever-growing body of research inspired by the ACE study is very relevant to our practice as hypno-psychotherapists – inspiring a shift of focus towards better understanding of risk-factors.
In terms of working with depression I find the BeeLeaf contemporary psychotherapy model of anxiety and depression excellent. In this model, depression can be viewed as the system self-regulating - just as anxiety is the system self-regulating. The ‘system’ naturally ‘moves’ between an anxiety state and a rest/digest state (a self-regulating system) in accordance with environment, life events, tunconscious processes, sensed experiences, cognitions etc. Problems occur when a myriad of potential factors (environmental, lifestyle, thinking styles etc) result in the system becoming ‘stuck’ either in an anxiety state (anxiety disorder) or rest/digest state (clinical depression). Or when regulation occurs as a result of swinging from anxiety to depression.
The BeeLeaf model includes working with environmental, physiological, cognitive, unconscious and somatic intelligence to ‘shift’ the stuck state and support a more effective self-regulation.
The following quote is quite simplistic, but I like how it challenges the commonly used phrase ‘chemical imbalance’ so often used to explain depression. As I see it, our ‘chemicals’ are never fixed, balanced, constant or static. We are in constant relationship with our environment – and of course numerous other factors influence our ‘chemicals’ … thinking style, lifestyle, alcohol, drugs, adverse life experiences, diet, exercise etc ….. :
“Depression is actually a state of high arousal. Depressed people have higher concentrations of stress hormones (cortisol, noradrenaline) than non-depressed people. The apathy and exhaustion seen in depressed people is a consequence of too much arousal, and the way the body and mind respond to this arousal” www.clinical-depression.co.uk/depression-faq/is-depression-caused-by-chemical-imbalance/
I believe the best treatment for depression is holistic in approach and supports self-regulation.
Yes, I think depression is both over-diagnosed and over medicated.
The ever-growing body of research inspired by the ACE study is very relevant to our practice as hypno-psychotherapists – inspiring a shift of focus towards better understanding of risk-factors.