Making Peace with Depression: A warm, supportive little book to lift low mood and ease despair

by Sarah Rayner, Kate Harrison, Dr Patrick Fitzgerald

Is depression or low mood stopping you from living life to its fullest? Are you feeling alone, struggling to find a way through? Making Peace with Depression is here to help.

In this comforting and supportive little book, bestselling authors Sarah Rayner and Kate Harrison, with Dr Patrick Fitzgerald, draw on their own experiences of living with depression and share their life-changing coping techniques that have helped them manage low mood and depressive episodes.

They explain that actively trying to fight your depression can actually prolong your suffering – instead, making peace with difficult emotions and compassionately accepting them can restore mental health and happiness.

Packed with simple and effective tips, this must-have handbook psychological and physical symptoms of depression and tips to cope.How to stop the spiral of negative thinking and boost your self-esteem.What to do when you suffer from suicidal thoughts.How to seek help and get a diagnosis.Different therapies and medications to help you recover.Evidence-based tips to avoid relapse.
Uplifting, hopeful and compassionate, Making Peace with Depression will help you on your path to recovery, and shows you how to rediscover joy and contentment every day.

Read what everyone is saying about Making Peace with Depression:

‘I ABSOLUTELY loved this… so practical, so down to earth, so non-preachy and so relatable.’ Amazon reviewer, 5 stars

‘Amazing read!!!!!... I laughed and I cried as I can relate to almost something in every page.’ Amazon reviewer, 5 stars

‘A gem. Full of compassion, understanding, humour and practical advice… Read this book and you feel you've found a friend. A real lifeline for those living with depression.’ Amazon reviewer, 5 stars

‘Perfect book… a superbly structured and well thought-out guide… offers just the right amount of information to help you… extremely helpful and thought-provoking… possibly the best guide I've ever read.’ Amazing reviewer, 5 stars

‘Brilliant… wish I had had this book years ago.’ Amazon reviewer, 5 stars

‘Brilliant little book, helped me immensely.’ Amazon reviewer, 5 stars

‘Absolutely fantastic… amazing.’ Amazon reviewer, 5 stars

‘Helped so much. I read this book in 2 days... I felt the most relaxed I have in a long time. It feels like a supportive friend giving you the best advice.’ Amazon reviewer, 5 stars

Genres: Nonfiction, Health, Self Help, Psychology

304 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 8, 2022

About the author

"Reading a Sarah Rayner book is like having a no-holds-barred chat with a close friend..."

Sarah Rayner writes both fiction and non-fiction and has sold over 750,000 books worldwide. She is the author of six novels - including 'Searching for Mr. Yesterday', published in February 2023. Her novel, the international bestseller, 'One Moment, One Morning' has two follow-ups, 'The Two Week Wait' and 'Another Night, Another Day', which feature the same Brighton-based characters.

She is also the author/publisher of the 'Making Friends' series of non-fiction self-help books. 'Making Friends with Anxiety: a warm, supportive little book to help ease worry and panic', 'Making Friends with the Menopause' and 'Making Peace with Depression' were published in 2022 by Thread, the non-fiction imprint of Bookouture. They were fully revised and edited for republication.

In 2021, Sarah published 'No More Tigers', her mother's childhood memoir, through her independent imprint, Creative Pumpkin Publishing. Mary Rayner grew up in Burma and when she was eight years old, in 1942, Mary and her family fled from Burma to India on foot to escape the invading Japanese. Mary Rayner is now 89, and is the author/illustrator of the 'Pig Books'. Sarah has written both a Foreword and Afterword for the memoir which is available on Amazon.

To find out more about Sarah or get in touch, please visit her website, www.sarah-rayner.com - it always makes her day to hear to hear from her readers. She is also on Facebook, Instagram and TicToc (search for Creative Pumpkin) and regularly posts about her life in Brighton, England, where she lives with her husband, Tom.

Reviews

[Stephen Clynes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very interesting book that explains depression. I loved all the psychology throughout this book which is very supportive of readers suffering from low mood. It explains how people are very different and that their depression will also be very different from other sufferers.

I learned a lot from this book and it really gets to grips with how our minds work, the emotions we feel and the moods we have. The whole spectrum of depression is explored, from the extremes of bipolar disorder to the minor changes of mood that everyone gets. There are tonnes of self help within the pages which because of the quality of writing, is easy to understand.

At the end of this book you will have gained a better understanding of depression and how it can affect other people. On a personal level you will become more aware of your own small changes in mood, why these happen and what to do to lift your mood. This book helps readers become in tune with themselves by gaining a perspective of the psychology involved. For such a small book, there are great depths explored and I urge you not to be put off by the inclusion of mindfulness - this is not a trendy idea but a tool that works with no cost to the user! Feeling cheesed off from time to time is part of being human and this book will help you understand how your brain works, so that things don’t get you down. I found Making Peace with Depression an OUTSTANDING read that gets the top score of 5 stars from me.

[Melanie Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Huge congratulations must go to all three contributors to this book. They must have worked extremely hard to compile a book that manages to contain an enormous amount of help and support but is only 4 hours. Sorting the wheat from the chaff can't have been easy but they seem to have hit the nail on the head. There was a lot of useful advice and resources, as well as personal experience to draw upon. The conversation between Sarah Rayner and Kate Harrison was particularly poignant and gave plenty of room for thought. A highly worthwhile listen for anyone who either suffers from depression or has friends or loved ones who suffer. This will help both groups understand, empathise and engage in practical matters that will help. Highly recommended.

[Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect book for people who feel controlled by depression: a superbly structured and well thought-out guide to the issues involved – without the pages of dry theory or patronising dictates, or list of should-dos and unrealistic expectations to add to the overwhelm. Making Friends with Depression offers just the right amount of information to help you understand what's going on inside your brain and body, and ideas for how you can help yourself.

Sarah Rayner, and co-author Kate Harrison, detail different aspects of D.E.P.R.E.S.S.I.O.N. They look at the make-up of depression itself, when to seek help (and what kind of help to ask for), the connection between mental and physical symptoms, ways to identify and change depression-fueling thoughts and behaviour, the value of self-esteem (touching on the influence of abusive relationships – a topic in desperate need of recognition), why we sometimes self-destruct (and ways not to), the value of creativity in recovery, and how – amongst other things – accepting the idea of relapses helps you stay well.

Having thought I already knew everything I wanted to know about depression, I found this book extremely helpful and thought-provoking; it's possibly the best guide I've ever read on the subject. Rayner and Harrison guide you – like friends – through manageably small steps, each with the potential to get you closer to wellness, and I recommend this to anyone who has ever struggled with depression.

An easy 5 stars.

[Niamh bonner · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who suffers from depression I thought I knew a lot about this illness. However this book has helped me identify both behaviour and triggers that don't help.
This book is a really useful step by step guide for people who need help identifying their warning signs. It also gives great insight into depression and siluggests useful ways to seek support.
I listened to it on audio and found the narrators to be easy to listen to and engaging enough to keep me listening.
Highly highly recommend this book for anyone who thinks they are feeling a bit blue or just unsure why they arent feeling themselves.

[Angel Torres · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very lovely, simple and kind way to look at it all.

I've been in therapy, I've been with psychiatrists, I've been in retirements, I've been in hospitals, I've taken classes and so much more that has helped for over the last 13 years and this book has lots of great advices that I've heard before and that actually do help.

If you or anyone you know wants to know more about the subject, then this is a good book with lots of great information.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been interested in mental health issues for some time, this book would be a boon to anyone who needs to find coping mechanisms for depressive periods.

No nonsense, practical advice on small things that can make a big impact.

Recommended for anyone who suffers from sporadic mental health issues.

[Sandra Leivesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fairly short but very informative book dealing with depression in its many forms. Depression can be quite a taboo subject but reading this book was like listening to a compassionate, supportive friend. There was lots of advice and it was interesting to hear the personal experience of the author. Highly recommended for anyone who suffers from depressionor has a loved one who suffers.

[Gemma · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I have both anxiety and depression, I thought I'd read this book too, to see how it'll help me. It's a longer read than the author's other book, Making Friends with Anxiety, and it has similar advice (repeated verbatim at times) when it comes to similar topics. But it also has other advice on things like what you can do to help increase your mood even little by little, how the lack of energy can perpetuate the cycle of inactivity and increasing low mood, and building a foundation so you can be resilient for possible future low mood.

It helped me a lot as a first-time sufferer of depression, learning what I can do to help myself to try and get out of the hole. It may serve as a good reminder for those who've suffered depression before.

[Kate Henderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

**Listened via audible**


I’ve read/listened to quite a few books about anxiety and depression over the last couple of years. This book, despite being relatively short was incredibly informative. It didn’t necessarily tell me anything new but it was to the point and is a great reminder.
The narration was fab too - sometimes with books like this the narrators can be quite monotone and dull but I really enjoyed the narration here. It felt really informal and just like a chat. Which is a good thing considering the subject matter!

It’s definitely audiobook I will keep in my library to refer back to when I need to.

[Rose McClelland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ABSOLUTELY loved this book on 'Making peace with depression'. It was so practical, so down to earth, so non-preachy and so relatable. I love how she was so open about her experience. I tried to record my book review vlog about it on You tube but it took me several attempts because I raved on about it so long. Also my vlog became more about the subject of depression in general rather than just a review on the book. If you can bear to sit through it, please feel free to watch it on the below link. Thank you so much to the author for doing this. Also, big thumbs up on her own narration! It worked so well on audible! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EEvv...

[Leslie Wolter · Rating 1 out of 5]

Please note before purchasing that this author does not have any mental health credentials. As such, advice given is juvenile and simplistic, lacking even the wisdom that can often be found in anecdotal accounts. Don't waste your money.

[Lizzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book

This is a good book with a lot of information to help deal with depression. I have seen tips that I would use.

[Daniëlle · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5: ⭐️

[Rebecca If Only I Could Read Faster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read Sarah Rayner’s previous non-fiction books focusing on anxiety I was keen to read her latest book about depression. Rayner has a great way of talking to her audience, it really does feel like you are chatting with her in person when you read. Her style is light and certainly not preachy.

The book is broken down into chapters that spell the word Depression. So chapter one talks about diagnosis, where the book talks about what depression is and the various symptoms, two about expert support including guidance on talking to your doctor and medication and so on.

This means that reading the book is broken down into simple, easy to read topics. In this book Sarah is also joined by another author who has struggled with depression, helping to give different viewpoints and experiences, and by a GP who gives his professional experience too. Although Rayner is the main narrator the book does benefit from the other contributors.

Perhaps the most important contribution comes from people who struggle with depression. In researching this book Rayner carried out a number of online questionnaires in order to get as a wide an experience as possible as no one with depression has the same experience as another. There are regular quotes in the book from these responses (including one from me) and I found these to be helpful and I think would definitely help someone in the middle of a depressive episode to feel less alone.

One of the chapters does focus on crisis care, where they advise on what to do and where to get help in an emergency situation, but the rest of the book is aimed at people who are struggling with depression but not, in my experience, a severe episode.

I know from my own experience that if I was at a really low point then this book would be of very limited help to me, but if I was at the start of a depression and if you like, caught it early enough, then this book would be a great help and reminder of things that I can do to help get myself out of it before I go too far.

I think that this book would be particularly useful for someone who is new to depression, and perfect for someone who is just starting to accept that they have depression as this book will educate them in a non-judgemental, easy to follow way. It would also be very helpful for a friend or family member of someone with depression.

This is a light and easy to read book, and I’ve no doubt that many will gain a lot from reading it. I do feel that if someone is struggling with severe depression then this book would have limited use.

The final thing to note about this book are the many wonderful illustrations. Rayner, it turns out, is something of an artist and she has drawn lots of pictures for the book. Although in Kindle format these illustrations are often not fully legible, especially small writing, which is unfortunate, although I believe this is only the case with e-readers and not if you use a kindle app on tablet or phone. I think that this is one book that would be better to read in hard copy so that you can make notes, perhaps highlight parts, and enjoy the illustrations.

[Richard · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was misled by the title: while this is to some extent a book about depression (what it is, its symptoms, causes, possible treatments, and so on) it’s in fact mostly about low mood, feeling down, going through “the blues” and has little to do with the true, full-blown, black hole of a living hell which can swallow up your mind and your life.
    With depression, it is precisely the ability to help yourself, in even the smallest way, which is disabled. You just plummet. So the phrase “reach out”, repeated here again and again (“…Please reach out if you feel this low…”, “…reaching out if you hit rock bottom…”) reads almost like a deliberate insult. Or there’s this: “The main advice I would give a person suffering from depression? Please keep putting one foot in front of another…” which felt like an actual slap in the face. And there’s this: “A few years ago, a publisher rejected a novel idea that I’d proposed. I’d spent a couple of months writing the beginning in the hopes of whetting their appetite and was very disappointed when I read the news. The good thing is that I was away on holiday when the email came through. My husband, Tom, and I had just arrived in Rome, and Tom was eager to go sightseeing. I told him what had happened, and he gave me a hug, wiped my tears, then listened to me rant for a few minutes. Within half an hour, we went out to St Peter’s as planned. The result? I got over the rejection much more quickly.” Well, that’s all very lovely I’m sure, but what does any of it have to do with depression? True depression is like becoming unplugged from the mains, like being dead while you’re still alive. Once glimpsed, it changes everything, shifts the whole landscape of your beliefs; it’s unforgettable and nothing ever looks quite the same way again.
    So if it’s help with low mood, feeling down, “the blues” you’re looking for, then this book really might be useful and helpful. But not depression.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let’s sit down for a cuppa and a chat with a good friend whilst we talk about depression that’s what this audio book is and I really enjoyed it. It is full of useful things to help you during dark days and hold your hand when you need it.

[Leslie Wolter · Rating 1 out of 5]

Please note before purchasing that this author does not have any mental health credentials. As such, advice given is juvenile and simplistic, lacking even the wisdom that can often be found in anecdotal accounts. Don't waste your money.

[Qibli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly the book is trying its best to do something that really isn’t easy, that being helping people get out of depression. It’s probably close yo as helpful as any book on this topic could be, it’s just that the whole idea is such a difficult task. But again I appreciate the effort