What if depression isn’t an illness at all? What if it’s simply the healthiest possible response to a completely unhealthy situation you find yourself in?
It’s an idea that immediately makes many people bristle. But it is, in fact, the core of what we’re going to discuss today.
If you’re feeling good today and looking forward to the day ahead, that’s fantastic. But maybe you were just missing that little bit of inspiration to face the world with a beaming smile. Luckily, we’re diving deep into this today. Because if you’re feeling down, restless, or stuck, we need to talk about it.
Watch the video:
The pill seems like a quick fix, but it isn’t
Many people automatically end up at this starting point. You’ve been feeling worthless for a while, you can’t get out of bed anymore, and you go to see your doctor. Before you know it, you’ve got a prescription for antidepressants. In the Netherlands, about 1.2 million people take this type of medication daily.
For many of those people, this feels like a solution. But is it really? I don’t think so.
Depression isn’t a defect in your brain that arises suddenly. It’s a reaction to something—a completely logical, healthy reaction, even if it doesn’t feel that way—to a situation from your past or to the environment in which you’re currently stuck. Of course, antidepressants can help you climb out of that deep valley. If you’re so low that you literally can’t function anymore, then a pill like that can save your life. It’s that simple.
But it doesn’t cure anything.
And then you immediately get the classic defense: “Yeah, but if you have diabetes, don’t you still have to take insulin?” Well, we now know that type 2 diabetes is entirely related to lifestyle.
I recently spoke with someone who completely reversed their type 2 diabetes and is now off medication entirely. So it is possible. The comparison to a broken leg also falls short: a bone heals on its own if you give it time and rest.
Medication and sedatives, on the other hand? They just cover up your problem. And if you choose to take one pill a day to get through the rest of your life and it works for you, hey, great! I don’t care. If you’re okay with that, fine.
But if you want more out of life, if you feel that deep down there’s still a whole lot of potential waiting to be unlocked, and you think, “That guy might actually have a point, ”then read on.
The Fury of Social Media
When I post things like this online, I already know what’s going to happen. People will jump to their feet in protest. I once wrote a book about it titled: You Don’t Have It, You Do It. You don’t have depression; you’re acting depressed.
Oh, that’s when things really came to a head. People got furious. “Then you’ve never experienced real depression!” they shouted.
Well, for those who don’t know me: I’ve been deeply depressed for a very long time. I numbed that pain with alcohol, drugs, and a lot of misery. I was also prescribed medication back then. So I understand it better than anyone. I know how dark it can get.
But I’ve also had the privilege of guiding and treating many people with depressive symptoms. And almost always, there was something entirely different underlying the issue—an unhealthy environment you’re currently living in, or (even more often) the environment you’ve just left behind.
Recently, someone commented on one of my social media posts. On a platform like that, you only have a minute to say something, so I bluntly stated: “Antidepressants don’t cure anything.” That person reacted strongly: “You’re right, but it helps me, and you don’t know what you’re talking about!”
So I clicked on that profile and looked at that person—at their demeanor, at the look in their eyes. And I may be judging too harshly, but I couldn’t shake the impression that this person had been through some intense experiences.
A history of bullying, a traumatic childhood. I recognize that specific look of pain in someone’s eyes—that deep, ingrained pain and that sadness that still resonates throughout the nervous system.
That pain has to be released. That system has to be transformed. Only when you tackle that will you see how much of that so-called “depression” remains.
The Four Bodies: Why the Hard Way Is the Only Real Way
Of course, that’s not the easy way out. Don’t get me wrong: I’m not going to claim that people who choose medication are taking the easy way out. Sometimes you’ve simply run out of options. Sometimes you’ve already tried everything—like exercise, diet, therapies, and hypnosis—and none of it has helped.
In that case, turning to medication is the only option left. In fact, if all my attempts back then had failed, I would have done exactly the same thing. Why not?
But I see all too often that people choose medication as their first option and then stop looking for other solutions. They’re “okay.” And “okay” is the greatest enemy of greatness. Once you’re on those medications, getting off them is a huge challenge. It’s literally like going through withdrawal.
Do you truly want to transform yourself? Then you’ll need to address the full spectrum. I always look at four levels:
Level 1: Physical Body
Most people barely exercise . And when they do work out? They don’t train hard. We call it “working out,” but it’s often just a glorified walk. I’ve been mentored by experts who have truly taught me what it means to train hard.
That hurt. The first month was really intense. But after three months, I’d lost ten kilos, I felt great, and that constant gloom vanished like snow in the sun. Most people never push themselves to that physical limit.
Meanwhile, exercise is incredibly effective in combating depression[1].
On top of that: nutrition and sleep. Did you know that about 95% of your serotonin (the chemical associated with feelings of happiness) is produced in your gut? If your gut is full of junk and your stomach is bloated, it simply sends signals of gloom to your brain. You can work out like crazy and eat healthy, but if you neglect your physical foundation, you’ll keep feeling terrible.
Level 2: The Mental-Emotional Aspect
Suppose you’re physically in good shape, but the gloom persists. Then you need to explore the mental-emotional realm. Did you have a traumatic childhood? Or are you dealing with “cumulative trauma”—small things that don’t seem earth-shattering on their own, but which, when added up, completely drain your system?
Childhood trauma is often strongly correlated with depression[2].
Especially if you’re a bit different from the crowd—if you grew up in an environment where you just didn’t quite fit in—that leaves scars. That leads to worrying, the feeling that you’re worthless, or the deep, silent belief that you’re not good enough. Ultimately, that turns into feelings of depression.
You have to face that pain. You have to dare to breathe through it, feel it fully, and let it go. Only when those old triggers are gone will a huge weight be lifted off your shoulders.
Level 3: The Energetic and Spiritual Realm
To some, this might sound a bit woo-woo, but for me, it was where I started. What is this depression trying to tell you? What energy is trapped inside you? Sometimes your body is simply protesting because you’ve been living against your own nature for years.
Level 4: Holistic Perspective
You can’t just focus on your mental well-being and completely neglect your physical body. Just as you can’t hit the gym every day while anxiously pushing unresolved childhood traumas aside with work or distractions.
It’s the combination. And that combination is hard work.
It’s the hard way. And I understand very well that you don’t feel like doing that if you can’t even get out of bed in the morning. If that’s the case, take that pill. Let it help you get over that first hurdle. But don’t stop there. Ask yourself: Is this it? Do I want to spend the rest of my life dependent on a pharmaceutical product when I don’t know what they’ll decide to do with it in twenty years?
I love independence. That sense of freedom is worth its weight in gold to me. At its core, depression is often nothing more than a cry for help from your system: “Hey, the situation you’re living in isn’t right anymore. Your environment is unhealthy. Something has to change!”
Do you dare to look at your own life this way, without immediately getting defensive or angry? And if you do get angry: channel that frustration. Use that energy to work out. Use that strength to push through that past.
It takes courage. It takes a tremendous amount of strength. But on the other side of all that work lies an unprecedented sense of liberation. And I want that for you, too.
Helping people with hypnosis
Do you want to help people rediscover themselves and feel completely okay on all four of these levels? Then hypnosis is incredibly valuable. Come to a free masterclass to get started.
Or register for one of our events and trainings.
Do you have a question about the training program? Schedule a one-on-one consultation here. You won’t be speaking with a salesperson, but with an experienced HIN coach who works with this training program and clients on a daily basis. In 20–30 minutes, you’ll gain clarity on whether this is the right step for you and which start date best suits your needs.
The schedule for these sessions fills up quickly around the start of each group. Is there still a time slot available that works for you? Then book it now.
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