I am a Manchester Hypnotherapist helping people from all over the globe using a variety of cutting edge psychological techniques. It is likely you will have seen all the commotion about depression amongst cricketers at the moment. Apparently these guys are twice as much likely to commit suicide than other sports people which is a surprisingly high figure.
One has to be cautious about these reports though and not confuse correlation with cause and effect. As a Manchester Hypnotherapist if a cricketer came to me and was suffering from depression, their occupation is only one of many variables that need to be looked at to offer fast effective relief. Cricket may in fact have nothing to do with it other than providing a set of circumstances that lead to a greater risk of depression.
For example people have touted such examples as cricketers being completely accountable for a teams loss or success because it is black and white statistically. However isn’t this the case for one on one sports such as tennis in which the same is the case? Or maybe it is the combination of this along with the fact that it is team sport and that you are accountable to your fellow team mates?
In truth when so many factors are involved it is almost impossible to say with certainty. However I would hazard a guess that a combination of factors such as working for extended periods away from family, intense pressure (at least at the professional level), along with the usual stresses that professional sportsmen face – that of having great and sudden changes in lifestyle, not only between seasons but also when one’s career finishes.
It is highly likely that being able to cope with these stresses would result in a reduction of depression and anxiety rather than blindly focusing on the sport of cricket just because of a correlation. Interestingly cricketers are now being encouraged to take online courses to “raise awareness” of depression. Unfortunately even if awareness is raised, the typical set of procedures used to help these people by the Mental Health Community are woefully inadequate, often resulting in months of ineffective “talk therapies” such as counselling and more often than not anti depressants which mere mask the problem.
If you are suffering with depression or anxiety I urge you to get in touch with me. There is only so much that talking and sympathy can do for an individual. What people need are easy to use tools with which to control their emotions which in turn will massively effect their experience of reality.
Some cricket players have little to no anxiety or depression which means that it is possible for all individuals to enjoy top level cricket with no downside. External reality doesn’t need to be amended, merely the way we interpret and experience the world. My success rate and speed with severe depression and anxiety is very high and often only one or two sessions are required before you have the skills and tools to keep any demons at bay for life. Call me today!