Depression & Suicide
All the psychological talks and hypnosis sessions cannot control the parts of the brain that causes extreme depression and suicidal attempts.
Only medication which can attack the regional parts of the brain that are dysfunctioning and control it, but they cannot cure what is happening in those regions. If you feel extreme depression or feel suicidal, seek help with a psychiatrist who can prescribe medications.
However, a psychologist who uses hypnosis within their sessions, such as myself, can help limit dysfunctional thoughts by turning down the volume, which can help prevent someone from becoming manic, in other words it can prevent someone from going to extremes in both physical actions and emotional thoughts.
Hypnosis works best for manic depression when combined with medication one receives from a psychiatrist.
I have taken what is written in the medical books which describe depression and suicide, and have reworded it so that it is easier for everyone to understand. The following is my interpretation.
Depression and suicidal tendencies happen when parts of the brain are not functioning properly, primarily the Prefrontal Cortex (PFC), Amygdala and Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC).
The Ventro PFC and Amygdala often show increased negative emotions and fear, while the Dorsal PFC shows the inability to see things as they are and make healthy decisions, can't solve problems, acts on impulse instead of rationality, all contributing to potential suicidal attempts.
The Amygdala which controls emotions becomes overactive in depressed people which causes them to become more stressful, have more fear and have exaggerated emotional responses to outside stimuli such as whatever is going around them or whatever people say.
The Anterior Cinglet Cortex is your attention gear shifter, which shifts from positive thoughts to negative thoughts. When it malfunctions, it causes it to get stuck in negative thoughts which increases depression and suicidal behavior.
Insula is involved in controlling how your body feels and how you emotionally feel, and when it malfunctions, it leads to dysfunctional thoughts and behavior.
Hippocampus often shows reduced volume in depressed and suicidal people, which can cause poor memory, bad judgments and dysfunctioning emotions.
Serotonin Deficiency is particularly in the ventral PFC and ACC, and is strongly linked to extreme suicidal thoughts and attempts.
Neuroplasticity, actually the lack of it, are common findings in chronic depression.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. In the US, you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.