Depression our emotional winter

Spring has finally arrived here in Melbourne after our coldest winter in 26 years.  Coincidentally the coldest winter since the year I arrived in Australia, 1989.  I was oblivious to that last cold winter because I spent it in Far North Queensland. At that time Cairns was an outpost Town and Port Douglas was a tiny village surrounded by construction sites; The Sheraton and the Mirage Resorts were just establishing and some of the more alternative locals were beginning to drift further north. Things have changed there in ways that couldn’t have been imagined in 1989. The future is like that, unpredictable and impermanent!

Spring is such an inspirational time. We observe nature come back to life, the light lingers longer, the air becomes warmer, shoots emerge from the beneath the surface of the soil, lambs appear in the paddocks, chicks appear in nests and of course in Australia the rather large Antipodean magpies are out to get us, swooping and pecking at anyone that dares to walk or ride their bike too close (in their minds) to their nests.

Nature never loses its momentum; it follows its grooves and patterns. Sometimes a winter may be harsher or longer but spring will still put in an appearance and the longer the wait the more glorious her entrance.

Our lives have their own patterns; we have highs and lows and even at times extremes.  Perhaps as a result of our increasing separation from the natural world, more of us tend to believe that our personal winters won’t end. Depression and Anxiety are on the increase around the world.  Millions of people are being diagnosed and often medicated because they have become stuck in their emotional winter. 

Depression is like becoming stuck in a wintry cave as the sun goes down. It tricks us into believing that we have entered a world of permanent darkness.  It frightens us so much that we huddle with our eyes firmly closed to block out whatever we fear may surround us in the darkness; we close our eyes so tightly that we are not aware of the sun rising and setting every day, and we don’t see how close we are to being able to get out of that boggy cave. We don’t hear the passers-by that would help us if they knew we needed help or even see the branches nearby that we can use to pull ourselves out. We can’t see because we believe we’re stuck solid and there is no way out.   This is of course a soul destroying, terrifying and exhausting situation to be in.  When we become convinced we are stuck, we are stuck.

It is not a failing or a weakness to find oneself in this predicament, there are so many factors that may contribute to it, trauma, bio-chemistry and environment to name just a few; as previously stated it’s a condition that’s on the rise.  I’m sure there are more theories as to why this is than I could ever list in this Blog, but I believe one reason is that we have lost touch with the natural order of life; we've forgotten about the flow of life, we've forgotten that life is about the cycle of growth, blooming, decline, rest and then renewal and growth again.  We've forgotten that it’s not always necessary to know what the outcomes are going to be in life and that when we don’t know we can simply accept that we don’t know rather than imagine something negative.  We forget that even places hit by the harshest of setbacks are capable of recovery.  Nature reminds us of this constantly; the recovery of the Victorian bush since the bush fires of 2009 is just one example; after  the decimation of that awful event, the natural landscape  rallied and recovered, and while it shows some scars, predominantly it has recovered and grown even more beautiful. Paradoxically some species particularly  thrive following  the destruction.  We too can be resilient. We too can recover and grow stronger.   We can learn to live with our feelings, to not mistake every emotional tremor for an earthquake and run for the false short lived protection of procrastination, eating, smoking, drinking or whatever our coping mechanism of choice is.  Sometimes we need help to do so, to become unstuck.  This is where a trained professional will help. 

All therapies are valid and as everybody is different, so too will be the therapies that suit them.

It is essential to seek and follow a Dr’s advice in relation to any form of medical condition or medication (whether commencing or considering cessation of medication). It is essential to follow medical advice.  Google cannot be relied upon for accurate advice.  Only Dr’s can provide a diagnosis of a condition.

* Psychotherapy is effective in assisting people becoming unstuck from their Depressive winter if they are receptive to it.  In my opinion using Hypnosis as a tool of delivery for psychotherapy increases it’s efficacy, because it helps break down some of the perceived barriers erected during the time spent convincing ourselves that we are stuck in the dark and danger lies beyond.  Hypnosis helps open a window that allows light in to lift the heavy darkness and chase away the shadows of fear.

​* Results may vary 

If you would like to try Hypnotherapy please feel free to give me a call at Hypfocus Therapies and Training Mentone, on 0435 923 817

South East Melbourne

If you need urgent assistance, someone to talk to or are feeling suicidal please contact: 
Lifeline on 13 11 14
or visit their website 

Further information is available at Beyond Blue

If life is in danger call 000 





© Hypfocus Therapies and Training September 2015