Edward J Longo Bio
Brief
Overview Anxiety & Depression
The prevalence
of mental disorders is startling. At sometime
during their lives, nearly a quarter of the adult
population in the United States will have an
anxiety disorder, while substance-related
disorders are a bit more common. It is important
that patients recognize that effective treatments
are available. Phobias can be treated by
behavioral therapy and alternative medicine, while
panic disorder can be treated with medication,
cognitive-behavioral therapy or both. Post-traumatic
Stress Disorders are much more complex and
difficult to treat. Through the use of
psychotherapy, especially in tandem with hypnosis,
the symptoms can be markedly reduced, if not
eliminated. The NIMH spends many millions of
dollars on research every year on the causes and
treatments of the anxiety disorders. As
understanding of the causes has grown, more
effective treatments have been developed.
Patients need to know that once identified,
anxiety disorders can be treated, and that
treatment allows afflicted individuals to return
to relatively normal, productive lives. (see References below)
HYPNOSIS & HYPNOTHERAPY
Depression very often triggers feelings of worthlessness, low self-esteem, and sometimes a forboding sense of failure.
One of the first steps in resolving depression using hypnosis and hypnotherapy is to attempt to identify, then regulate behavior and emotions. This can be done through guided imagery and positive suggestion, suported by a healthy diet and an moderate exercise rouitine. When these feelings of negativity begin to surface, it is important to replace them with
positive thoughts and actions. Strategies also include
monitoring the language one may use to describe
their feelings. Again, the best strategy for depression dictates that one refrains from entertaining negative thoughts, adjusting toward positive language, listening only to positive words.
Another depression related strategy is to set simple, obtainable, realistic goals to help
boost your overall mood and confidence. Complicated activity should be broken down into
more manageable activity. For example, arranging books around the house can seem
daunting, but is much more manageable when tackled, section, then later, room by room.
Although the process is dramatically different the emotional results of the outcome may present the same benefits. Another choice would be to try and decide what color one room would seem pleasant, and then attempt painting one wall at at a time. These are but a few strategies available which are best applied with the guidance of the hypnotherapist. With these and other depression strategies improvement may come gradually, rather than immediately. This can be said of most forms of therapy, while hypnotherapy would be the more effective modality of choice . . . (EJLongo)
NOTE: Eighteen million Americans suffer from major depression. Most of them are treated successfully with a combination of “talk therapy” and anti-depressant drugs. But millions of Americans – possibly as many as four million - are afflicted with what is known as “treatment-resistant” depression. For them, nothing works, not even electric shock treatments. They endure lives of debilitating sadness and some end up committing suicide. But as correspondent Lesley Stahl reports (60 minutes,) early results from an experiment in Canada have raised hopes for an answer to their suffering. It involves surgery on a region of our brains called Area 25. And, for the small group of patients who have signed up, the risks seem worth taking, because this is their last resort. The procedure requires drilling a hole into the skull and providing a pacemaker. Reference:
CBS News.
MY RESPONSE: Frightening! Be it known that resolving depression through hypnotherapy can be one of the quickest ways to move beyond depression. Again, when dealing with depression, hypnosis &
hypnotherapy can be one of the most beneficial aspects of alternative medicine. This can be proven. Try me! . . . Edward J Longo - ABH CCH RBT (212) 737-8538
(Ask for a FREE 15 minute consultation)
Anxiety Disorders
Panic
Attack -- Discrete period in which there is a
sudden onset of intense apprehension,
fearfullness, or terror, often associated with
feelings of impending doom. During these attacks,
syntoms such as shortness of breath, palpitations,
chest pain or discomfort, choking or smothering
sensations, and fear of "going crazy,"
or losing control are present. The afflicted
individual becomes convinced having a heart
attack, or is dying, and often presents a
complaint to a hospital emergency room with this
false belief.
Agoraphobia
-- Anxiety about, or
avoidance of, places or situations from which
escape might be difficult, or embarrassing, or in
which help may not be available inthe event of
having a Panic Attack, or panic-like symtoms. Common
agoraphobic situations include excessive fears of
being in a crowd, crossing a bridge, or leaving
home alone. With Panic Disorder --
Characterized by both recurrent unexpected Panic
Attacks and Agora phobia.
Obsessive-Compulsive
Disorder -- Characterized by obsessions (which
cause marked anxiety or distress) and / or by
compulsions ( which serve to neutralize anxiety).
Post-traumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD) -- A clinical
condition characterized by the reexperiencing of
an extremely traumatic event accompanied by
symtoms of increased arousal and by avoidance of
stimuli associated with the trauma. This can
be traced to a definable, traumatic event such as
a street crime victim, or living through some
natural disaster. After some later date, the
person may experience flashbacks, with recurrent
and intrusive recollections of the event.
Acute Stress
Disorder -- Symptoms, similar to those of
PTSD that occur immediately in the aftermath of
an extreme traumatic stressor.
Generalized
Anxiety Disorder (GAD) -- Characterized by
uncontrollable excessive anxiety and worry for at
least a 6-month period. They are likely to feel
constantly "on edge" and tired, they
complain of muscle tenseness, they may be
irritable and unable to concentrate, and their
sleep pattern is disturbed. The more life
circumstances about which the individual worries,
the more likely the diagnosis.
Major Depressive Disorders
Major Depressive Disorder is associated with high
mortality. Up to 15% of individuals with severe
Major Depressive Disorder die by suicide.
Epidemiological also suggests that there is a
fourfold increase in death rates with Major
Depressive Disorder who are over the age of 55
years. These individuals admitted to nursing
homes may have a markedly increased likelyhood of
death in the first year. In individuals seen in
general medical settings, those with Major Depressive
Disorder have more pain and physical illness and
decreased physical, social, and role functioning. Major Depressive
Disordermay be preceded by Dysthymic Disorder (10% in ) epidemiological
samples and 15%-25% in clinical samples). It is
also estimated that each year that approximately
10% of individuals with Dysthymic Disorder alone
will go on to have a first Major Depressive
Episode. Other mental disorders frequently co-occur
with Major Depressive Disorder (e.g., Substance-Related
Disorders, Panic Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive
Disorder, Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa,
Borderline Personality Disorder).
References: *CBS; *NewsAmerican Psychiatric
Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders (Fourth Edition) DSM-IV-TR.
Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric
Association, 2000. *Treatment of
Panic Disorder: A Consensus Development
Conference. Washington, D.C.: The American
Psychiatric Press, 1994.
Some Memberships:
American Board of Hypnotherapy
Association for Research and Enlightenment, Inc.
American Association of Professional Hypnotherapists
International Association for Cognative Psychotherapy (IACP)
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