depression
Depression is one of the most serious disorders and can be psychological or clinical in nature. If the sufferer becomes depressed for no apparent reason there may be a chemical imbalance at work that can be treated, in a relatively straight-forward manner, with appropriate medication. If, on the other hand, the depression has been triggered by previous events or a current situation, Psychotherapy can be highly effective. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can be deployed to enable the sufferer to view the negative situation in a different and ultimately more thought provoking (and maybe positive) light while Hypnotherapy will help unearth and subsequently address problems that have been buried in the past. Together with stress, many of our clients have come to us with issues of depression.

post-traumatic stress
Post-Traumatic Stress is the development of disabling psychological symptoms that follow a traumatic event and can start immediately after the occurrence or take months or even years to surface. Repetitive thought about the incident/s, flashbacks, nightmares, a lack of interest in the sufferer's daily life and well-being and becoming increasingly out of touch with his or her own feelings are common-place. It is a serious condition which, if left untreated, can become permanent. Again, CBT can be effectively utilised to focus on the negative trigger so that the traumatic event can be isolated and framed in such a way as to dissipate the impact it has so devastatingly created.

stress management
Stress, as defined by the UK Health and Safety Executive, is an adverse reaction to excessive pressures or other types of demand where these exceed the person's ability to cope. For a comprehensive article, together with stress-management techniques, please refer to the companion website:

www.londonstressmanagement.com/stress management

or

www.work-related-stress.co.uk/stress management

 

obsessive compulsive disorders (ocd)
Recurring ideas (obsessions) can lead to repetitive behaviours. When combined, the affliction is called Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, or OCD. The three most common compulsions are continuous washing, counting and checking/confirming. Some people are amused when they observe a sufferer checking ten times an hour that the door is locked, or washing his or her hands twenty times a day but it is by no means funny to the sufferer who can be imprisoned. in what one client recently described to me, as a "waking nightmare" Further research needs to be conducted in relation to OCD. Medication such as Clomipramine and Fluoxetine have been proven to be successful in overcoming OCD, though exposure and response prevention, as explained in the psychotherapeutic session, can be equally (or if not more in my opinion) effective.

panic attacks

For information on panic attacks, please refer to the companion website:

www.work-related-stress.co.uk/main disorders/panic attacks

anxiety
Originating from the Latin Anxius and broadly defined as a condition of agitation and distress, Anxiety is a complex emotional state typified by apprehension and dread where the sufferer generally cannot specify what s/he is actually anxious about. The physical symptoms include, but are by no means exclusive to, heart palpitations, hot or cold flushes, muscle tension, queasiness, dry mouth, trembling and sweating and can appear in different forms and at different levels of intensity. Anxiety can be brought on merely by thinking about a particular situation rather than experiencing it.

For further information on anxiety, please refer to the companion website:

www.londonstressmanagement.com/main disorders/anxiety

eating disorders
Eating disorders are characterized by severe disturbances in eating behaviour. The practice of an eating disorder can be viewed as a survival mechanism. Just as an alcoholic uses alcohol to cope, people with eating disorders can use eating, purging or restricting to deal with their problems. Some of the underlying issues that are associated with an eating disorder include low self-esteem, depression, feelings of loss of control, feelings of worthlessness, identity concerns, family communication problems and an inability to cope with emotions.

stage fright
Even the most effective of speakers, or the most accomplished of musicians, can suffer from stage fright. A sudden tidal wave of fear can strike the sufferer weeks, days, hours or even minutes before a performance. Stage fright can be cured relatively easily if there are no major problems underlying the condition. My technique, which has as it's central premise that you are only ever addressing one person - no matter how many people there are in the audience, has helped many clients (and even myself way back in my performing days!) to overcome this problem

smoking
It is really not for me to point out the damage that smoking can do to a person's health as smokers know only too well the harm it can do. I differ from many practitioners when treating smokers in that I firmly believe that cutting back tobacco intake and working towards giving up completely is more effective than simply quitting on the spot and facing the complications of immediate withdrawal. Usually, a maximum of six sessions is sufficient for the "gradual" methodology to work and I have always been pleased with the success rate that I have had with (now former) smokers.

cannabis adiction
Cannabis is at least as damaging to one's health as smoking - perhaps even more so as the smoke from a typical joint is inhaled into the lungs more deeply than it would be if drawn from a straight cigarette. In addition, it has different psychological disturbances that usually occur over an extended period of time. Understanding the drug and addressing not only it's usage but the dependency of it's supply is of paramount importance when helping people overcome this increasingly common addiction.