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Leeds Hypnotherapy Clinic Salutes our Countries NHS staff

I’m always grateful for the kind reviews posted on the Leeds Hypnotherapy Clinic website by clients and there was one today that I thought I’d like to comment on in a blog, bearing in mind the current health crisis posed by the coronavirus outbreak. The review comes from Chris who worked as a Yorkshire paramedic.

It’s easy to forget sometimes the dedication required of health workers and the stress and strain that their jobs can put on them.

As Chris says in his message, his work meant dealing with things that most of us only ever see on TV or read about. Inevitably the anxieties of such work can take their toll. In Chris’s case, he was diagnosed with severe anxiety and depression. Symptoms of stress

The symptoms hit him without warning.

Inevitably, the more exposed an individual is to stressful situations the more vulnerable they will be. And really there are few more challenging posts than working on the frontline in the health sector.

Yet, suddenly, the work of all these people has become all the more challenging in the current circumstances. We are now relying more than ever on health workers – whether they be doctors, nurses, paramedics or support staff. While it’s their job, the least the rest of us can do is express our thanks for the dedication shown by all these workers and to let them know just how appreciated their dedication is. I’m sure it’s a sentiment that we all share.

 

Testimonial from Chris Greenwood

 

” Trying to decide whether to go to Leeds Hypnotherapy Clinic?

Please read my story and you may be able to make that decision a lot easier.

 

I worked as an Emergency Medical Technician and a Paramedic for Yorkshire Ambulance Service (formerly WYMAS) for 17 years.  I was always able to pride myself on being able to deliver the best care to all, at what can be described as their lowest if not critical moments.  The ability to provide treatment, reassurance and support in a correct professional and timely manner is paramount to front line emergency medical staff.

I have seen and dealt with things that most people only see in television dramas/documentaries, films, newspapers, read in books or of course if you were the one needing help. This also includes colleagues taking their own lives! I was able to do this without any of it having an adverse consequence on my mental wellbeing, although it’s always difficult with the latter.

 

That was all until 18th March 2016!

 

I had completed 4 hours of a 12hr night shift.  I had been feeling a bit odd and went outside to get some air, and as I stood there thinking, I realised, that for approximately 12-18 months that I’d not been sleeping well, waking up feeling like I couldn’t breathe, and on going to work I’d been coughing and coughing, but only on the way to work, while I was working, I was ok!  It suddenly dawned on me that I was having symptoms of anxiety!

I called my wife, who also worked for the service, and explained.  Within 5 minutes I felt that I had to get as far away from work as possible.  I went in and explained all this to my manager, who was very understanding, and I left work sick.

 

As of the 18th March 2016, my life turned upside-down!!

 

I visited my GP who diagnosed Severe Anxiety and Depression.  He started me on medication immediately.  He was shocked as to how bad I was.

 

I suddenly became someone that could deal with everything, to the one that couldn’t deal with anything at all!

I couldn’t talk to people, answer the phone, go out.  I stood up all the time, never could sit down and relax.  I couldn’t watch television or cope with noise.  I couldn’t read or write things; making food was extremely stressful. I was losing control!!

When Occupational Health called me for my initial assessment, I was in a severe mess.  I was deemed at that stage to be suffering from severe trauma.  How could that be?  There is no reason for it!

I was referred for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy(CBT).  This took weeks to be arranged and I got worse and worse.  Finally, the day came for my first session.  1 hour before, I became a total mess, retching, but not vomiting, extreme sweating and shaking so much I couldn’t even drink water.  The phone rang – Cancelled!!  It took me hours to calm down.  When I did start my treatment, I was fraught with physical symptoms.  After my third session, I was told they couldn’t help me, as there was no specific reason for my problem to have started, and I needed Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing(EMDR).  This was only possible following my 6th session of CBT!  Again, I waited weeks for the referral, continuing to spiral out of control.  I started to drink alcohol heavily on a night to try and calm down and be able to eventually go to sleep!

EMDR started, and after 9 sessions, I was yet again, told as there was nothing specific causing it, they couldn’t help.  Each appointment turning me into a gibbering wreck!!  All during this time, I was having meetings with management, but, only at my home, as I couldn’t go near work.  It was like torture!!

 

My GP support was second to none!

 

I was referred to see a counsellor and referred to Psychiatry – it was now 2017.

I knew the counsellor which helped, but still had retching, sweating and shaking going to see her.  She was lovely and helped me by letting me have a little ease, after calming down, for about 20 minutes each week.

 

By now, I had been on a number of medications, and the Psychiatrists were more focused on that, than the diagnosis!

 

Nothing was changing, I wasn’t getting anywhere at all!  I was finished from work on capability grounds in August 2017.  I really didn’t want this to happen as I had done nothing wrong!  When it did, it meant I didn’t have to think about any more meetings or stress caused by work intervention.

You would have thought that this would have made me feel easier.  It just made me cry!

I now had no job and no income!  The worst thing that I’ve ever had to do, was call the DWP to try and get benefits!  Later (2018), I was granted retirement on ill health!  This helped financially, but I had not got any better.  I was still drinking on an evening, to get me to just forget and go to sleep!

By now I’d put on about 6 stone in weight!  I wasn’t doing anything at home and had no drive whatsoever!  I started in a group at CHART which helps with addiction, but was struggling with my larger problem, therefore, it wasn’t helping!

 

My family were supporting me as much as possible, but it was taking its toll on them.

At this point, my father, who was a friend and acquaintance, of someone who did work with PTSD and other things, named Daniel McDermid.  He had a chat with Daniel, and he suggested that I call him.

I did not get in touch, as by now, everything else had failed and, I couldn’t go through it all again!!

Subsequently, nothing changed, and I went up to 20 stone in weight, and got no better.

 

2019 – My wife was now struggling with me and work!  I was now causing her anxiety as well!!  She ended going off sick with similar symptoms!!  She talked to my father and asked him to get in touch with Daniel for herself.  I suddenly decided I had no choice, I had to go see Daniel.  It caused me great floods of tears, as I think I had no other options.  I couldn’t let this ruin us all!!

 

I went with my wife to Daniel McDermid’s, Leeds Hypnotherapy Clinic, for her appointment, early one evening (I had not booked an appointment yet).  I wanted to walk her in to give moral support.  He was very kind and inviting, as we entered.  He went through the things my wife was going through and, he decided at that point he was going to deal with me also!  He went through everything with both of us, in an informative and cognitively suggestive manner. This was fantastic!!  Suddenly, things were starting to make a lot more sense for us both! He ended the appointment with approximately 30 minutes of Deep Trance therapy.

 

Daniel is the only therapist where I’ve not been retching, sweating and shaking!!

 

Let me tell you now, we both left feeling massively different!!  My wife was able to return to work at the end of her sick note, and I have had no anxiety or depression since.

 

Daniel did more in 3 hours, than any other treatment in 3 ½ years!!  We’re forever indebted to him and his wisdom.

 

I continued to see him regarding the alcohol consumption, and in only a few sessions, he got me to not drinking at all. I now only have a couple on a weekend and, I’ve lost nearly a stone and a half in weight!

 

Daniel McDermid, The Leeds Hypnotherapy Clinic, has changed our lives, where no one else could!!

 

I recommend that you don’t put off making the decision to seek help at Leeds Hypnotherapy Clinic!

You all deserve the best.

 

Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts Daniel.”

 

 

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