Tim Maude Hypnotherapy

Author: Tim

  • Are You SAD? Understanding Seasonal Affective Disorder

    Are You SAD? Understanding Seasonal Affective Disorder

    As the days grow shorter and the skies turn grey, many of us feel a natural shift in mood. But for some, this seasonal change is more than just the “winter blues”—it’s a condition known (somewhat ironically) as SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). SAD is a type of depression, typically recurring each year, starting in the late autumn or early winter and remitting during the spring and throughout the summer.

    What Exactly is SAD?

    SAD is formally recognised as a major depressive disorder with a seasonal pattern. While less common, some people experience a reverse pattern, with depressive episodes occurring during the spring and summer. The most common form, however, is the winter-pattern SAD.

    The Science Behind the Seasonal Shift

    The cause of SAD is strongly linked to the decrease in sunlight during the winter. Experts believe this reduction in light can disrupt the body’s internal biological clock, or circadian rhythm, leading to a misalignment.

    • Melatonin Levels: The body produces the sleep-regulating hormone melatonin at higher levels in the dark. The increased darkness in winter can lead to an overproduction of melatonin, making you feel excessively sleepy and lethargic.
    • Serotonin Imbalance: Serotonin, a neurotransmitter that affects mood, may be imbalanced. Reduced sunlight can cause a drop in serotonin levels, triggering depressive symptoms.
    • Vitamin D Deficiency: Sunlight is essential for the production of Vitamin D, which plays a role in serotonin activity. Lower levels of Vitamin D in winter may also contribute to SAD.

    Key Symptoms of Winter-Pattern SAD

    SAD symptoms tend to mimic those of major depression.

    • Mood: Feeling depressed, hopeless, or worthless nearly every day
    • Energy: Low energy (lethargy), feeling sluggish, and increased fatigue
    • Sleep: Oversleeping (hypersomnia), difficulty waking up
    • Appetite: Increased appetite and carbohydrate cravings
    • Social: Loss of interest in activities; social withdrawal

    What Do You Do To Manage SAD?

    Lifestyle Adjustments

    • Simple changes to your routine can help mitigate symptoms:
    • Maximise Sunlight Exposure: Take walks outside, especially in the morning.
    • Exercise Regularly: Any physical activity helps improve your mood.
    • Eat well: Focus on a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables and lean proteins.
    • Prioritise Sleep Hygiene: Maintain a consistent sleep schedule to help maintain your circadian rhythm.

    Light Therapy (Phototherapy)

    Light therapy involves sitting a set distance from a special device called a light box, which emits a bright, full-spectrum light for about 20–30 minutes each morning. The bright light mimics natural outdoor light, helping to regulate your circadian rhythm. It has to be a light box specifically designed for full-spectrum light – Don’t use a normal indoor lamp or a sunlamp.

    Medication

    If your doctor diagnoses you with SAD, they may prescribe antidepressants that you start taking from Autumn until the Spring. It is thought that these medications work by balancing serotonin levels in the brain.

    Therapy

    Although there is a physical cause of SAD, talking therapies can help. Hypnotherapy and CBT can both be used to help clients with SAD.

    And Finally …

    SAD is a real condition. You can get a diagnosis for SAD if you want help from your doctor. However, large numbers of people develop SAD-like symptoms but are not bad enough to received a diagnosis.

    Whether or not you have been diagnosed with SAD – hypnotherapy can help. I operate my hypnotherapy clinic in Fleet, Hampshire. If you would like to Contact Me, I would be happy to talk to you about what hypnotherapy can do for you.

    Photo by David Kanigan on Pexels

  • Recovering From the Stress of a Breakup

    Recovering From the Stress of a Breakup

    Breaking up from a partner is one of the most stressful things that can happen to us. This stress can lead to increasing levels of anxiety and other negative emotions. Hypnotherapy cannot sort out the practical problems of breaking up, but it can help you regain control, and calm the emotions right down so as to be able to deal with the practical matters of the breakup a little easier.

    The following are based on real case scenarios that I have dealt with. Details have been changed to protect the identity of the individuals concerned:

    Anonymised Case Study 1

    Albert discovered that his wife was cheating on him with a man at work. He felt angry and humiliated. His feelings of self-worth as a husband were at rock bottom. They separated and started divorce proceedings. The divorce constantly reminded him of the humiliation he had gone through and he started to have an almost constant feeling of anxiety. After a series of hypnotherapy sessions, he gradually got his anxiety under control and he was able to deal with the solicitors and the divorce proceedings in a calmer, more relaxed manner.

    Anonymised Case Study 2

    Beatrice had been with her partner for years and was growing increasingly dissatisfied with the relationship. She finally decided that it was time to leave her partner, and told her that she was breaking up with her. Her partner was angry about the breakup. Beatrice started to feel guilty even though she knew the partnership would never work in the long term. She started hypnotherapy to help her deal with this dilemma and the feelings of guilt that were giving rise to depression. She was eventually able to get rid of the feelings of guilt and square things with her ex-partner properly. They parted on friendly terms.

    Anonymised Case Study 3

    Christine discovered her partner with another woman. After an angry breakup and several months apart, they decided to get back together again. Christine was certain that he would never do anything like that again, but was still filled with uncontrollable feelings of doubt and jealousy when he met other women at work or socially. She found herself constantly challenging him about what he was doing, and that put an increasing strain on the relationship. After a series of hypnotherapy sessions, she regained control of her feelings and was able to discuss things properly with him.

    And finally …

    As illustrated in these case studies, a breakup in a relationship can give rise to a range of damaging emotions. Hypnotherapy can help people in this situation with the emotions that arise, leaving them better able to deal with the more practical consequences of the breakup, and then better able to rebuild their lives afterwards.

    Of course, other types of therapy can help too, but if you want to see how well hypnotherapy can help you to regain control of your emotions following a breakup, you can Contact Me. I work out of my clinic in Fleet, Hampshire as well as online. I would be happy to talk to you to answer any questions you might have about how I can help.

    Photo courtesy of Cottonbro Studio on Pexels

  • What Problems Can Hypnotherapy Help With?

    What Problems Can Hypnotherapy Help With?

    Hypnotherapy helps you reprogramme your subconscious. All of us have times when there is something about us that is not right, things where our brain seems out of our control. This is just our subconscious getting things wrong.

    Hypnotherapy can help you get back in control of the things that don’t seem right. When your subconscious gets things wrong, it can force you to feel or do or think things that you would prefer not to.

    Here are some of the things that hypnotherapy can help with:

    Unwanted Negative Feelings

    We sometimes have negative feelings that are far more than the usual ups and downs of the day. For example:

    • Having anxiety or dread most or all of the time
    • Extreme sadness (depression)
    • Uncontrolled anger
    • Jealousy
    • Fear of something irrational (phobias)
    • Lack of confidence
    • Panic attacks
    • A feeling of being overwhelmed by everything
    • Lack of motivation to do things

    Getting Over Something Traumatic

    When something traumatic happens in your life, hypnotherapy can help you come to terms with it quicker than if you had to do it on your own. For example:

    • Someone close passing away
    • Being involved in, or just watching a major accident
    • Finding out your partner has been cheating on you
    • Break up of a long-term relationship
    • Being a victim of violence

    Not Being In Charge Of Your Thoughts

    There are times for all of us when we are not entirely in charge of our own thoughts. When taken to the extreme, this can become overwhelming. For example:

    • A voice in your head constantly criticising you
    • Constantly thinking about all the things you have to do
    • You keep thinking about all the things that could go wrong (catastrophising)
    • Embarrassment about something you did that you keep thinking about

    Doing Something That You Can’t Control

    So many people have eaten something or done something automatically and then thought, “I shouldn’t really have done that.” When you keep doing this and can’t stop that it becomes a problem. For example:

    • Smoking
    • Uncontrolled drinking
    • Uncontrolled drug taking
    • Self-harm
    • Binge eating
    • Skin picking
    • Pulling out your hair
    • Compulsive behaviours

    Avoiding Something That Would Be Good

    Because of an overwhelming feeling of dread, you might find yourself avoiding doing things that you would enjoy or would be useful to you. For example:

    • Avoiding flying to go on holiday
    • Avoiding going out
    • Avoiding driving on motorways
    • Avoiding going to social occasions
    • Avoiding using the Internet

    Physical Symptoms That Get You Down

    There are some physical symptoms that seem to get worse with stress. Hypnotherapy cannot help you alleviate or cope with them better. For example:

    • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
    • Difficulty sleeping
    • Migraines
    • Symptoms of peri-menopause or the monthly hormonal cycle

    How Can Hypnotherapy Help?

    Hypnotherapy is all about allowing the subconscious to shift its perspective towards a more positive future, a future where you are more in control and can lead a normal life.

    If you would like to talk to me about these or any other issues that hypnotherapy might help with, then Contact Me. I work out of my clinic in Fleet, Hampshire as well as online, and would be pleased to discuss (confidentially of course) your issues with you.

    Photo by Katrin Bolovtsova on Pexels

  • Motorway Driving Dread: Welcome to Amaxophobia

    Motorway Driving Dread: Welcome to Amaxophobia

    Does driving on motorways fill you with dread? Do you take an alternative route just to avoid those busy, multi-lane roads? Do you avoid travelling just because it would mean driving on a motorway? Welcome to Amaxophobia!

    How Common is Amaxophobia?

    A lot of people are nervous about driving, but around one in ten drivers are so anxious that doctors would diagnose Amaxophobia – a fear of driving in certain circumstances, such as motorway driving, or being a passenger while someone else is driving.

    Where Does Amaxophobia Come From?

    How is it that someone who has been driving happily for years gradually begins to develop massive anxiety about motorway driving? Or maybe they have never been comfortable with it. Where it comes from is different for everybody.

    For some, it arises from a specific incident, like an accident, that happened to them when driving. For others, it could just be a near miss that started the worry. For many, however, there is nothing specific that you can nail down to attribute to being the cause. It could be a combination of many things. It doesn’t really matter where it came from – what matters is how you get over it.

    How Do You Get Over Amaxophobia?

    It can be very inconvenient to be scared of motorway driving. You may have to drive on slower roads. You may have to be constantly giving excuses to friends or family as to why you can’t visit them. You may try to suck it up, go through the shear terror of it all, and arrive a nervous wreck.

    You can do something about it. Most doctors will send you off for some CBT sessions, but there are alternatives.

    I have helped quite a few people get over their fear of driving using hypnotherapy. Hypnotherapy is a way to access the subconscious fear that your brain creates. It is not a miracle cure where I just snap my fingers and you change. It takes time, as it is a complex phobia. This is particularly the case if it has been there for a long time.

    What Happens When the Fear of Driving is Gone?

    Once the fear of driving is gone, life opens up again. You are able to make those long trips without the worry about them. Some of my clients are very surprised; they tell me that it is an odd feeling when it is so easy to drive on motorways again.

    If you want help getting over that dread of driving on motorways, you might want to consider hypnotherapy. I work out of my office in Fleet, Hampshire as well as Online. You can Contact Me if you want to talk about the possibilities that hypnotherapy can offer.

    Further Reading

    What Is Amaxophobia? – Fear of Driving or Riding in a Car

    https://www.verywellmind.com/fear-of-being-a-passenger-2671535

    Why thousands of midlife women are too afraid to drive on the motorway

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/features/midlife-women-amaxophobia-terrified-of-driving-motorway/

    Photo courtesy of Mike Bird on Pexels

  • Is Hypnotherapy Safe?

    Is Hypnotherapy Safe?

    Generally speaking, hypnotherapy is quite safe. It’s normally very relaxing and pleasant. In fact, clients tell me that the hypnosis part of a session is the bit they really look forward to.

    A hypnotherapist doesn’t make you do things you don’t want to do. They don’t make you do things … they suggest … they lead you … it’s up to you to decide whether or not you want to follow them.

    I practice solution-focused hypnotherapy, which doesn’t dig into your past, because I don’t care where your issues have come from. What I care about is where you’re going to. So I don’t ask you to re-live your past traumas, which might make you more stressed about them.

    There are a few exceptional times when I would consider it potentially unsafe to use hypnosis. So I wouldn’t hypnotise someone with psychosis or someone in the manic phase of bipolar disorder, for example, or someone who came to me drunk or high on drugs.

    When performed by a properly trained hypnotherapist, hypnotherapy is very safe … and it’s a pleasant way to help you sort out your issues.

    And Finally …

    If you want to see a hypnotherapist, you might like to Contact Me. I work out of my clinic in Fleet, Hampshire and also online. I specialise in anxiety-related issues, but I am not limited to these.

    Photo by Alex Green on Pexels

  • Why I Don’t Ask My Clients About Their Problems

    Why I Don’t Ask My Clients About Their Problems

    When clients come to me, they do so because they have a problem. Usually, it is a problem involving anxiety. Maybe they worry about their children, their partner, their work, the cleanliness of their house, their health, driving on motorways … or anything else. Maybe they have anxiety about anything and everything. Or maybe they just wake up in the morning with a sense of dread for no particular reason …

    … and I don’t ask my clients to tell me all the intricacies of their problem, in fact, we often have a good laugh about other things.

    Problem-Focused Therapy

    In many types of therapy, the therapist will ask their client to talk about their problem – when it happens, where it came from, how bad it gets and so on. The analysis of the problem is a key part of the therapy.

    This problem-focused approach is the way that doctors treat patients. A few years ago I broke one of the bones in my finger. The doctor wanted to know how I did it (… a sporting injury), what sort of break it was (… an X-ray revealed it was a spiral break), and how much it hurt (… not much).

    Having established all that, they could work out what the best treatment was for me. The best treatment for me turned out to be a splint for my finger and, later on, physiotherapy to help get the full range of movement back into my finger. The splint and the physiotherapy allowed my body to heal the finger by itself – but it all started with an analysis of the problem.

    Solution-Focused Therapy

    When clients come to see me, I do not analyse their problems. I do not ask them where the problem came from or the situations where it is really bad. I ask them about solutions: What are their best hopes for when the problem goes away? What is it like when the problem isn’t there? As the problem eases off, what positive differences will they notice?

    When you worry about a problem, the limbic system (the primitive part of the brain that is concerned with survival) starts to raise the threat level. It assumes that whatever it is you are worried about may actually be just about to happen. So it starts to go into a fight-flight-or-freeze state and generates a lot of anxiety, just to make sure you are paying attention to the problem. In other words, it exacerbates the anxiety you already have.

    However, when you focus on the things that are going right, and what it will be like when it is all sorted out, that is when the healing process can start. It is like putting a splint on the broken bone and doing physiotherapy – it tells the brain how it should be behaving, and allows the natural processes to move you back onto the road to normality.

    Solution-Focused Hypnotherapy

    A solution-focused discussion allows the brain to imagine the anxiety-free state that you want to be in. Hypnosis puts you into a nice relaxed state where your brain can more easily make the changes it needs to make to get there. Solution-focused hypnotherapy is a very gentle and natural way to get back on track.

    If you want help getting over your anxiety, you might consider solution-focused hypnotherapy to help you. I usually see people between 5 and 10 sessions before they get to where they want to be. If you want to Contact Me, I would be happy to talk to you and answer any questions you might have. I work out of my clinic in Fleet, Hampshire as well as online.

    Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels