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This Is Depression: A Comprehensive, Compassionate Guide for Anyone Who Wants to Understand Depression
Depression sucks. It’s a debilitating illness that affects the mind and the body―and chances are that you or someone you love will battle depression at some point in your lifetime. This Is Depression is your guide through the darkness.
A widely respected authority on the diagnosis and treatment of mood and anxiety disorders, psychiatrist Dr. Diane McIntosh provides all the information you need to understand and combat this serious and isolating disorder. Written in an accessible format with compassion and humor, Dr. McIntosh takes an evidence-based approach as she outlines the causes, impact, and treatment of depression and along the way provides encouragement that it can be overcome.
This Is Depression
· how life experience, genetics, and hormones factor into depression, and explores the common overlap between depression and other mental and physical illnesses
· how all areas of life can be impacted by depression―home, school, work, and relationships
· how to communicate about mental illness, whether with your doctor or your boss, a rude friend or nosy co-worker, or loved ones
· critical information about every available depression treatment ― and those that are on the horizon―describing how antidepressants work, which treatments are worth taking, and which are useless... or even dangerous
· when to consider psychotherapy, brain-stimulation treatments, mindfulness meditation, and exercise and what to expect from a therapeutic relationship
· essential tools to support you in your recovery or your loved one on their journey.
Depression can be a lonely, debilitating illness, but sufferers are not alone, and there is always a path forward. This book is the first step on that path.
A widely respected authority on the diagnosis and treatment of mood and anxiety disorders, psychiatrist Dr. Diane McIntosh provides all the information you need to understand and combat this serious and isolating disorder. Written in an accessible format with compassion and humor, Dr. McIntosh takes an evidence-based approach as she outlines the causes, impact, and treatment of depression and along the way provides encouragement that it can be overcome.
This Is Depression
· how life experience, genetics, and hormones factor into depression, and explores the common overlap between depression and other mental and physical illnesses
· how all areas of life can be impacted by depression―home, school, work, and relationships
· how to communicate about mental illness, whether with your doctor or your boss, a rude friend or nosy co-worker, or loved ones
· critical information about every available depression treatment ― and those that are on the horizon―describing how antidepressants work, which treatments are worth taking, and which are useless... or even dangerous
· when to consider psychotherapy, brain-stimulation treatments, mindfulness meditation, and exercise and what to expect from a therapeutic relationship
· essential tools to support you in your recovery or your loved one on their journey.
Depression can be a lonely, debilitating illness, but sufferers are not alone, and there is always a path forward. This book is the first step on that path.
408 pages, paperback
Published October 10, 2019
55 people are currently reading
423 people want to read
About the author
Diane McIntosh
3 books2 followersDr. Diane McIntosh graduated from Dalhousie University, where she completed an undergraduate degree in pharmacy before completing medical school and residency training in psychiatry. She is a clinical assistant professor at the University of British Columbia and has a community psychiatry practice, with a particular interest in the neurobiology of mood and anxiety disorders and ADHD. She is extensively involved in continuing medical education programs to colleagues nationally and internationally, including her own educational program, PsychedUp CME. She is the co-founder of SwitchRx (switchrx.ca), the online psychiatric medication switching tool. Most recently, she co-founded wedomatter.org, which advocates for more compassionate care for psychiatric patients and their families.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
November 3, 2020
This book is a must for anyone suffering from depression, as well as families of people experiencing depression. This is no gobbledegook medical text. It is written for the layperson, with concepts well explained. The author even throws in a touch of humour.which is welcome with such a weighty subject.
Highly recommended
Highly recommended
May 25, 2021
Thorough
I was recently diagnosed with major depressive disorder and this book was very helpful in understanding what depression is and what it is doing to my brain and body. I appreciate how compassionate the author is and the consideration of other things that go hand in hand with depression.
I was recently diagnosed with major depressive disorder and this book was very helpful in understanding what depression is and what it is doing to my brain and body. I appreciate how compassionate the author is and the consideration of other things that go hand in hand with depression.
June 23, 2022
so easy to read and understand. it made me feel like i actually understand the brain (as much as i can) and why my head works the way it does. the author didn’t just explain the science behind depression, but helped me understand the way our brains function and why they affect us so much.
January 31, 2024
More of a 3.5. I'm a therapist. I have issues with the way the author talks about obesity and the alleged relationship between obesity and depression. There isn't a lot of nuance regarding how prejudice causes trauma and therefore depressive symptoms; this was missing from the obesity and the sex conversations. I was relieved to read the term gender-nonconforming but the chapter on the sex differences also didn't sit right with me. This take is written by a psychiatrist and therefore is focused on the medical perspective on depression. There were some helpful parts (research cited, the chapter about medications, her take on ECT, and the chapter about talk therapy treatment options), and the author is extremely affirming and compassionate about clients and their loved ones. I can see it being very helpful to laymen, grad students, and new therapists.
November 5, 2019
My own thoughts first, and then some comments from my psychiatrist wife...
An empathetic and optimistic hands-on tour through the world of depression.
Book titles can be obscure and misleading... not this one! Dr. McIntosh's book fully delivers on its promise, giving patients and others most everything they need to know about depression. Definitely comprehensive, she covers a wide range of subjects: what depression is, what it looks like in all its diversity, how it's diagnosed, what causes it, how to talk to people about it, where to find help, myths, and information on a broad range of treatments. The book covers talk therapy, supplements, electroconvulsive therapy, exercise and many others (kale enemas, incidentally, are not recommended). She extensively covers the confusing and misunderstood universe of medications. She tackles the real questions people have about how they work, what to expect, how to deal with side effects, and more.
The other keyword in the subtitle is "compassionate," and this is the real strength of the book. It's refreshingly positive, hopeful, and, most of all, human. Her explanations, intermixed with patient vignettes, treat the reader with respect and serve to empower. They normalize what can be a frightening and lonely illness for many people. Readers will also find actionable advice throughout the book. This includes specific recommendations and suggestions around where to go to find help, how to approach appointments, and talk to others, whether caregivers, family and friends, or someone that you're concerned about. It's clear that nurturing informed and fully engaged patients is her mission, unlike some doctors who are threatened or intolerant when patients step up.
While well-referenced, this is far from a dry and monolithic academic text. The writing is very accessible. It's broken up into small sections and chapters, which makes it very easy to follow. Readers can skim through topics of less interest and take a deeper dive into others (budding genetics and neuroscience geeks will rejoice!). I especially like the extensive glossary. It helps not only when encountering an unfamiliar term in the text, but also helps when deciphering jargon from doctors or others. Items in the glossary are bold-faced throughout the book, which again makes it easier to skim through.
This is a very practical book, delving into medical evidence and standards when they're useful, but not being constrained by their limits. She's not shy about offering real-world advice based on her experiences with patients, which mostly works. At times though, it's a challenge. There are great benefits in sharing what too rarely ends up written down, but some risks of over-generalizing with such diversity in patients and illnesses. For example, when briefly describing specific medications, she suggests "other SSRI options are better." This may be a bit heavyweight and could shut down rather than open up a conversation with a prescriber. Limited space makes this difficult to pull off perfectly, though appropriate caveats are usually close by.
'This is Depression' covers a lot of ground in an approachable and relevant way. Anyone hoping to gain a better understanding of this illness and how to recover from it will benefit. Dr. McIntosh has done a superb job bundling everything together in one comprehensive, compassionate package.
And some thoughts from my psychiatrist wife:
A great resource for patients and families
So far, I've only had a chance to briefly flip through it, but I'm excited to have a book like this to recommend to my patients and their families. Like Diane, patients in my own psychiatry practice are always looking for more information about their illness. Too often, they end up finding a few things here, a few things there, not all of it reliable or easy to digest. She's put together a great collection of solid and easy to read information on a very diverse range of topics. Most importantly, patients will be able to find answers to nearly all their questions in one place. I like that she doesn't shy away from specific biological details for the many patients who are eager to learn more. I'm looking forward to going through this in more detail, and I'm sure will learn a few new things myself.
An empathetic and optimistic hands-on tour through the world of depression.
Book titles can be obscure and misleading... not this one! Dr. McIntosh's book fully delivers on its promise, giving patients and others most everything they need to know about depression. Definitely comprehensive, she covers a wide range of subjects: what depression is, what it looks like in all its diversity, how it's diagnosed, what causes it, how to talk to people about it, where to find help, myths, and information on a broad range of treatments. The book covers talk therapy, supplements, electroconvulsive therapy, exercise and many others (kale enemas, incidentally, are not recommended). She extensively covers the confusing and misunderstood universe of medications. She tackles the real questions people have about how they work, what to expect, how to deal with side effects, and more.
The other keyword in the subtitle is "compassionate," and this is the real strength of the book. It's refreshingly positive, hopeful, and, most of all, human. Her explanations, intermixed with patient vignettes, treat the reader with respect and serve to empower. They normalize what can be a frightening and lonely illness for many people. Readers will also find actionable advice throughout the book. This includes specific recommendations and suggestions around where to go to find help, how to approach appointments, and talk to others, whether caregivers, family and friends, or someone that you're concerned about. It's clear that nurturing informed and fully engaged patients is her mission, unlike some doctors who are threatened or intolerant when patients step up.
While well-referenced, this is far from a dry and monolithic academic text. The writing is very accessible. It's broken up into small sections and chapters, which makes it very easy to follow. Readers can skim through topics of less interest and take a deeper dive into others (budding genetics and neuroscience geeks will rejoice!). I especially like the extensive glossary. It helps not only when encountering an unfamiliar term in the text, but also helps when deciphering jargon from doctors or others. Items in the glossary are bold-faced throughout the book, which again makes it easier to skim through.
This is a very practical book, delving into medical evidence and standards when they're useful, but not being constrained by their limits. She's not shy about offering real-world advice based on her experiences with patients, which mostly works. At times though, it's a challenge. There are great benefits in sharing what too rarely ends up written down, but some risks of over-generalizing with such diversity in patients and illnesses. For example, when briefly describing specific medications, she suggests "other SSRI options are better." This may be a bit heavyweight and could shut down rather than open up a conversation with a prescriber. Limited space makes this difficult to pull off perfectly, though appropriate caveats are usually close by.
'This is Depression' covers a lot of ground in an approachable and relevant way. Anyone hoping to gain a better understanding of this illness and how to recover from it will benefit. Dr. McIntosh has done a superb job bundling everything together in one comprehensive, compassionate package.
And some thoughts from my psychiatrist wife:
A great resource for patients and families
So far, I've only had a chance to briefly flip through it, but I'm excited to have a book like this to recommend to my patients and their families. Like Diane, patients in my own psychiatry practice are always looking for more information about their illness. Too often, they end up finding a few things here, a few things there, not all of it reliable or easy to digest. She's put together a great collection of solid and easy to read information on a very diverse range of topics. Most importantly, patients will be able to find answers to nearly all their questions in one place. I like that she doesn't shy away from specific biological details for the many patients who are eager to learn more. I'm looking forward to going through this in more detail, and I'm sure will learn a few new things myself.
August 13, 2023
This book offers a phenomenal insight into depression from a scientific perspective. It explains the causes, symptoms, and treatments of this mental disorder in a clear and accessible way. Some sections may be difficult to understand for non-medical readers, but they do not affect the overall quality of the book. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about depression in a factual and objective manner.
February 12, 2022
I feel like the author was trying to reach too wide of an audience. At times the book was complex and very scientific and at other times it was jokey and almost flippant. I also found all the words in bold very distracting. Not a guide that I would recommend.
August 19, 2025
That one was great, very understandable and I appreciate the sense of humor of the author. I was very positively surprised on including such detailed breakdown of medications used to treat depression.
July 13, 2022
I really wanted to understand and visualize exactly what's going on in your brain when you're burned out and/or depressed, and this book really helped! I was a bit stunned and intrigued to learn how many unknowns there still are about the brain. However, I definitely gained a better understanding of the stress cycle and the impact of a prolonged stress response on your body. Sure everyone says stress and overwork is bad for you, but understanding why on a neurological level and being able to actually picture my little brain cells malfunctioning was so helpful for me to better guard my boundaries (and neurons) going forward.
I thought about taking off a star because while what causes depression was well-explained, I really didn't get a detailed understanding of how antidepressants work. However, I decided against it because from my basic internet research, this might be an unknown (again, stunning how much we don't know!). Also I skimmed through a bit of the book that I didn't care to learn (e.g. which antidepressants have less side effects), but the chapters were well-labeled and allowed for me to do this easily.
I thought about taking off a star because while what causes depression was well-explained, I really didn't get a detailed understanding of how antidepressants work. However, I decided against it because from my basic internet research, this might be an unknown (again, stunning how much we don't know!). Also I skimmed through a bit of the book that I didn't care to learn (e.g. which antidepressants have less side effects), but the chapters were well-labeled and allowed for me to do this easily.
May 16, 2020
Reads like a poorly written psychology textbook.
October 5, 2023
It showed in book & the things were written that this book was written by expertise in psychiatry!!
Very insightful & educational . Easy to understand the concepts .
I love this book sm because it made me question my current knowledge & also made me think (open to more issues or made me more curious )…wanting to research into a lot of things in dept
It also rose my interest in neuroscience,bio psychology (made it very easy to understand how brain works) & also kind of gave me specific direction into my career interest
My favourite chapters were about neurones & neurotransmitters especially Serotonin example (helped me understand the concept very well )
I NEED THIS BOOK IN HAND RN!!!!
Very insightful & educational . Easy to understand the concepts .
I love this book sm because it made me question my current knowledge & also made me think (open to more issues or made me more curious )…wanting to research into a lot of things in dept
It also rose my interest in neuroscience,bio psychology (made it very easy to understand how brain works) & also kind of gave me specific direction into my career interest
My favourite chapters were about neurones & neurotransmitters especially Serotonin example (helped me understand the concept very well )
I NEED THIS BOOK IN HAND RN!!!!
March 21, 2022
I read this book only because we got it for mental health week from.work last year. I've never had vome across anyone in my personal life (thankfully) battling depression however there were number of insightful information within the book.
It is definitely aimed at someone with active depression or someone whose loved one has depression. There is great depth of information regarding available resources in Canda and unbiased review of medications and their side effects.
It is definitely aimed at someone with active depression or someone whose loved one has depression. There is great depth of information regarding available resources in Canda and unbiased review of medications and their side effects.
June 27, 2022
Excellent explanations of all aspects of living with depression. The author is from Canada and am now curious if their health system is better at treatment of mental than the health system in the US.
PS. Loving my Scrib’d!!!!!!
PS. Loving my Scrib’d!!!!!!
July 25, 2022
This is the single most helpful book I've ever read on depression! Easy to understand, well-organized, and optimistic.
March 11, 2020
This is a very enlightening book and really covers all aspects of depression. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to learn more about the disorder.
May 6, 2024
This book is a must-read for anyone wanting to fully understand clinical depression no matter whether one is a person suffering from depression or a caregiver for depressive loved ones or just taking a casual interest in mental health issues. The strength of this book lies in the eloquent writing to explain depression in full detail without confusing its readers by falling into the trap of difficult medical phrasing that so often plagued other books with the same theme. This book also includes a brief yet important introduction to the realm of neuroscience by explaining the brain mechanism behind depression. Another distinguished element of this book rests in its succinct explanations about treatments for depression complete with their efficacy based on the author’s empirical experiments from years of working with countless patients suffering from depression. However, some segments of the book’s readers —perhaps those who are used to read academic journals— would probably be less appreciative regarding the matter of excessive validation from the author’s clinical practice experiments, and instead wish for more evidence from scientifically rigorous sources to be included in the writing.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews