A patient we'll call David came for a consultation seeking help regarding a mood disorder. Variously diagnosed as depression or anxiety - or both, it had plagued him for most of his adult life. Most of his emotions seemed tied up with his working. As a middle aged professional who ran his own small firm, he placed a great deal of pressure on himself to perform up to his own high standards and easily fell into despair about what he perceived as his professional inadequacies.
Hair of the Dog
Daniel (not his real name) was distraught and in tears the first time we met. It wasn’t an appointment - he had just dropped by the office with his wife to ask if homeopathy might help. Waves of emotions passed over his face as we spoke and he seemed barely able to contain whatever pain he was experiencing within himself. There was no physical illness as far as he knew – or so he explained, but mentally Daniel felt at the end of his rope and wasn’t sure if or how to carry on. Actually, when the time came, I wasn’t sure he would show for his appointment. We had set it up for a few weeks out because of some traveling he had planned and my schedule. In such an acute state, who knows what might happen between now and then? But, in fact, there he was right on time…