You Can Beat Depression: A Guide To Prevention & Recovery, Fourth Edition

by John Preston

$14.95

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Author: John Preston

Publisher: Impact Publishers, Inc.

Paperback:
ISBN 10: 1886230609
ISBN 13: 978-1886230606

Here’s a revised and updated edition of the most readable book on depression. Folks who are feeling really depressed often don’t feel much like reading, but You Can Beat Depressionis a very reader-friendly self-help guide. This important resource has been recognized by the National Institute of Mental Health D/ART program and the National Mental Health Association. Readers will find all-new information on bipolar disorder diagnosis and treatment, along with helpful material on prevention of depression, prevention of relapse after treatment, brief therapy interventions, exercise and other non-medical approaches, the Prozac controversy, and much more. Includes an up-to-date consumer guide to medications. Its comprehensive approach to self-assessment carefully guides readers to figure out when and how they can help themselves, when they need to seek professional treatment, and what to expect along the way.

Review

“...brief, clear, to the point, highly readable... I recommend it...”
—A. John Rush, MD, University of Texas Medical Center

“Clear, easily understandable approach to depression that the average reader will find very helpful.”
—Albert Ellis, PhD, Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Graduate School of Psychology, Rutgers University

“...a succinct, comprehensive account of the causes, treatments, and manifestations of depression...”
—Arnold A. Lazarus, PhD

“An excellent self-help guide... could help anyone beat the blues quickly and effectively.”
—American Library Association BOOKLIST

“...an easy to read, practical guide for individuals and family members coping with depression. Clinical depression is an illness for which effective treatments are available. The National Public Education Campaign on Clinical Depression sponsored by the National Health Association has made great strides in educating people about the signs and symptoms of depression and getting them into treatment. This book will further that effort.”
—Michael M. Faenza, President and CEO, National Mental Health Association

“Highly recommended.”
—The Midwest Book Review

“...a must read for clients who suffer with depression or bipolar disorder...also helpful for the mental health profession because it presents a number of techniques which can be used as homework assignments for clients.&rdquot;
—The Masters' Advocate, March-April 2010

“Dr. Preston’s approach is gentle and compassionate, yet firm...everyone who reads this book will benefit from his holistic approach to healing.”
—ABIL Newsletter

From the Publisher

If you read only one book on depression, this should be it. This concise-yet-comprehensive book is an ideal resource for individuals who are emotionally depressed and want to "get better," friends and relatives of depressed persons, psychotherapy clients who want to enhance the effectiveness of therapy for depression, serious readers of self-help and self-improvement, psychologists, psychiatrists, clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists.

From the Author

AN INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR

WHAT IS DEPRESSION? Depression is a very common human condition affecting at least 17% of people (lifetime prevalence). Many people experience brief depressive moods (sadness, disappointment, discouragement), but most clinical depressions tend to be long lasting. Despite attempts to shake the depression, most people will continue to suffer for weeks to months, and at times, for many years (unless they are treated). Hallmark symptoms include:

-Loss of interest in normal life activities.

-Loss of enthusiasm and vitality.

-Sad, depressed, hopeless, or irritable mood.

-Low self-esteem, feelings of worthlessness, lack of self-confidence.

-Extreme negativity, pessimism, brooding, fretting.

-Forgetfulness and an impaired ability to concentrate.

-Physical symptoms: sleep disturbances (insomnia or excessive sleeping), change in appetite, loss of sex drive, fatigue.

-Social withdrawal.

ARE THERE DIFFERENT TYPES OF DEPRESSION? Yes.
Some depressions are an understandable emotional reaction to very difficult life stresses (for example: serious, ongoing marital problems, divorce, being fired from a job, living with a serious illness or chronic pain, the loss of a loved one).

Five percent of the population suffer from bipolar (manic-depressive) illness, which is a genetically transmitted form of biological depression.

Five percent of the population suffer a form of mild, but chronic depression called Dysthymia. Almost everyday the person experiences a lack of enthusiasm, irritability, moodiness, and often, fatigue.

Depressions can also be caused by changes in brain chemistry and may have nothing to do with life stresses. When this occurs, the depression may seem to "come out of the blue." Common causes for these more biologically based depressions include:

-Overuse of alcohol.

-Certain prescription drugs can cause depression, such as: high blood pressure medications, steroids, tranquilizers, and estrogen (to name a few of the most common).

-Physical illnesses can directly affect the brain and cause depression. Most common are: thyroid diseases, anemia, and primary sleep disturbances (for example: sleep apnea, a disorder that is commonly seen in people who snore).

-Female hormone fluctuations: pre-menstrual, post-partum, menopausal.

WHAT TREATMENTS HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO BE EFFECTIVE IN TREATING DEPRESSION?
-Antidepressant medications (such as Prozac, Paxil, Wellbutrin, and others). These are non-habit forming treatments that can normalize neurochemical functioning in the brain. All antidepressants require a minimum of 2-6 weeks of daily use before the positive effects are experienced.

-Mood stabilizers (for example: lithium, Depakote) are also used in treating depression that is a part of bi-polar illness.

-Particular types of psychotherapy: cognitive therapy, behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, cognitive behavioral analysis, and psychodynamic therapy. All have research support as effective treatments for depression.

-Regular exercise (20-30 minutes per day) can be effective in treating some forms of depression.

-Bright light therapy (often effective in treating "winter depressions" or depressions seen in individuals who habitually work the night shift and are exposed to very limited amounts of sunlight).

-Electro-Convulsive Therapy (shock therapy): effective in treating very severe depressions.

-Experimental treatments include: transcranial magnetic stimulation and vagus nerve stimulation.

HOW EFFECTIVE IS TREATMENT FOR DEPRESSION?
The National Institute of Mental Health reports that more than 80% of people who are treated for depression are significantly helped. However, this depends on receiving adequate treatment; for example, a combination of psychotherapy and antidepressant medications. Even though depression is considered to be a very treatable disorder, only 25% of those who suffer ever seek out treatment and many who are treated do not receive what is considered to be state-of-the-art treatments.

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU NEED PROFESSIONAL HELP?
The biggest mistake is to think, "If I just try harder, I know I'll be able to pull myself out of this depression." Most true clinical depressions last a long time. Thus, if depressive symptoms have persisted for more than a month despite efforts to combat them, professional help is warranted. Treatment is especially indicated if any of the following are present:

-Severe physical symptoms: marked weight loss or gain, insomnia, noticeable fatigue.

-Increasing use of alcohol or other "recreational" drugs (which always make depression worse).

-Thoughts about suicide.

-Increasing withdrawal (for example: missing work, staying in bed all day).

HOW CAN YOU HELP YOURSELF?
You Can Beat Depression offers numerous self-help approaches that have been shown to be effective (alone or in combination with professional treatment). Many of these are difficult to describe briefly, so please check out the book. However, the following can be tremendously helpful.

-Reduce or eliminate caffeine (it destroys sleep which then often makes depression worse).

-Eliminate alcohol use (alcohol is one of the most potent depression-causing chemicals a person can use. It is, however, seductive, since the immediate effect is to cause relaxation and some easing of depressive feelings). Most people experiencing depression, who are using significant amounts of alcohol, will encounter tremendous difficulties in overcoming depression. Reducing or eliminating alcohol may be the single most important step in combating depression. The biggest obstacle is denial. Most people who overuse alcohol minimize its impact or think that it is not contributing to problems with depression. Finally, Caution: If you have been using significant amounts of alcohol on a daily basis, please do not stop "cold turkey." Acute alcohol withdrawal can be dangerous. Please consult with your physician about how to conduct a safe program of withdrawal.

-Stay connected with others. Marked social isolation invariably will increase depression.

-Be decent to yourself. Ruthless self-criticism is a very common experience during depression. At the heart of healing from depression is the ability to develop an attitude of compassion for one's self.

-Don't become a couch potato. Inactivity can contribute to changes in brain chemistry that aggravate depression. At lease 10 minutes of exercise (even walking) per day can help (20-30 minutes a day is even better).

-These self-help ideas often are almost impossible for depressed people to do owing to depression's impact on energy and motivation. Thus, it may be essential for you to enlist the help of a family member or friend to provide encouragement or a kick in the rear to get you started taking care of yourself.

-If the depression has seemed to come out of the blue, it's always a good idea to see your family doctor to make sure it is not due to a medical illness or to prescription drugs.

HOW CAN FAMILY MEMBERS HELP?
Encouragement and support certainly matter a lot when a family member is depressed. However, many times concerned loved ones inadvertently become critical. "You just need to try harder"à "Just look on the bright side"à "You have nothing to be depressed about." All of these comments may come from a place of good intentions, but are almost never helpful to the depressed person. The single most important thing family members can do is to learn about clinical depression. You Can Beat Depression helps family members to understand more about depression and has a specific chapter that outlines specific, concrete ways family members can be of help.

Depression is the most common emotional disorder. It affects at least one in five of us. It is also one of the most treatable of all psychological disorders. Yet 75% of people who suffer with depression never seek help. Take action now! Learn more about depression and either seek treatment for yourself or encourage your friend or loved one to do so.

From the Back Cover

This highly recommended self-help guide that has helped tens of thousands of readers is completely revised and updated, and now also includes a new comprehensive discussion of bipolar disorder and its treatment

-- Learn about the different types of depression...

-- Examine the seriousness of your own condition...

-- Learn to use proven self-help procedures...

-- Recognize when you can "do it yourself," and when you can't...

-- Understand about medications for depression...

-- Find the right professional treatment if you need it.

"An excellent self-help guide... could help anyone beat the blues quickly and effectively." --American Library Association BOOKLIST

"...brief, clear, to the point, highly readable... I recommend it..." --A. John Rush, M.D., University of Texas Medical Center

"Highly recommended." --THE MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW

"...an easy to read, practical guide for individuals and family members coping with depression." --Michael M. Faenza, President and CEO National Mental Health Association

"Clear, easily understandable approach to depression that the average reader will find very helpful." --Albert Ellis, Ph.D. Author, FEELING BETTER, GETTING BETTER, STAYING BETTER

John Preston, Psy.D., ABPP, is a licensed psychologist and the author of 14 books. He is a professor of psychology at Alliant International University and has also taught at the University of California, Davis, School of Medicine, in Sacramento. Dr. Preston is the recipient of the Mental Health Association's President's Award for contributions to the mental health community. He is a frequent presenter throughout the United States and abroad.

For information and free literature on depression: National Institute of Mental Health D/ART Program: 1-800-421-4211 National Mental Health Association Campaign on Clinical Depression: 1-800-969-NMHA

About the Author

John Preston, PsyD, is a board certified psychologist and the author of ten books including Survivors, You Can Beat Depression, Integrative Brief Therapy, and Life is Hard (audio). He is on the faculty of Alliant University and the University of California, Davis, Medical School. He is the recipient of the Mental Health Association's President's Award for contributions to the mental health community. Dr. Preston has lectured widely in North America and abroad.

Depression is painful.

It's a disabling condition that affects millions of people each year, causing tremendous emotional distress, interfering with daily living, family life, and work, increasing the risk of physical illness, and sometimes even leading to suicide. However, as I'll make clear in this book, depression is a very treatable condition. Unfortunately, most depressed people are not treated and are unaware of the help that is available.

One of the most painful aspects of depression is the sense of helplessness and powerlessness that depressed people often feel. You may be experiencing it as a sense of being trapped, unable to overcome profound feelings of despair and hopelessness. Concerned friends may try to cheer you up by saying "Things will get better... look on the bright side..." Most of the time such words of encouragement do little to pierce the veil of sadness and pessimism. True hope can only be sparked when you find out about ways to beat depression that make sense to you and that have been shown to be effective.

In this book I'll present to you, in a brief and easy to understand way, several approaches to the treatment of depression for adults and older teenagers. All these methods have solid and sound scientific evidence of effectiveness. The ideas fall into two broad categories: professional treatment and self-help approaches. Many people who are depressed need and can benefit significantly from treatment with a mental health professional. But there is a lot you can do to gain control over your depression on your own, and a self-help approach can pay extra benefits:

--You may notice positive results in a relatively short time, since the self-help approaches described here are extremely effective; there is ample research to show that they work.
--There is a special sense of satisfaction and power that can be experienced when you are able to do certain things, notice that it makes a difference, and know in your own mind that you are in control and have the ability to combat depressed feelings. Restoring a sense of personal power and increased self-confidence/self-esteem is an important part of overcoming depression.
--These self-help approaches can also be very helpful for people who are involved in professional treatment.
--As a bonus, once you have learned specific skills for reducing your depression, you have gained tools which will allow you to ward off the recurrence of depression.

Self-help is not a substitute for professional treatment, of course. Apply the insights and ideas you gain from this book, but be sure to get professional help if you need it. Chapters Four and Thirteen will help you decide.

I realize that for many people experiencing depression, even the idea of reading a book can feel like a difficult task. I want to make this process easier and have attempted to write a book that is brief and easy to understand. The first chapter addresses the question, "What is depression?" The following chapters will focus on how to cope and when to seek out professional treatment.

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You Can Beat Depression: A Guide To Prevention & Recovery, Fourth Edition