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Depression Is Contagious: How the Most Common Mood Disorder Is Spreading Around the World and How to Stop It
Depression is more of a social problem than a medical illness, reveals expert psychologist Dr. Michael Yapko, whose revolutionary new approach—based on the latest research—treats depression with positive social relationships, not drugs.
Depression is now the world’s most common mood disorder, and is spreading like a viral contagion. You can’t catch depression in the same way you catch a cold, but the latest research in neuroscience, social psychology, epidemiology, and genetics provides overwhelming support that moods spread through social conditions. Our social lives directly shape our brain chemistry and powerfully affect the way we think and feel; our brains change with positive life experiences and can change as much with social circumstances as with medication. Drugs may address some of depression’s symptoms, but they cannot change the social factors that cause and perpetuate it. Indeed, Dr. Yapko argues convincingly, by treating a social condition as though it’s a disease, the problems will spread rather than diminish.
In Depression Is Contagious, Dr. Yapko identifies the patterns often seen in modern relationships that lead to depression and provides practical exercises that will help readers develop the skills and insights they need to forge stronger, healthier social connections. This practical, definitive book provides an empowering prescription for hope and healing through people, not pills.
Depression is now the world’s most common mood disorder, and is spreading like a viral contagion. You can’t catch depression in the same way you catch a cold, but the latest research in neuroscience, social psychology, epidemiology, and genetics provides overwhelming support that moods spread through social conditions. Our social lives directly shape our brain chemistry and powerfully affect the way we think and feel; our brains change with positive life experiences and can change as much with social circumstances as with medication. Drugs may address some of depression’s symptoms, but they cannot change the social factors that cause and perpetuate it. Indeed, Dr. Yapko argues convincingly, by treating a social condition as though it’s a disease, the problems will spread rather than diminish.
In Depression Is Contagious, Dr. Yapko identifies the patterns often seen in modern relationships that lead to depression and provides practical exercises that will help readers develop the skills and insights they need to forge stronger, healthier social connections. This practical, definitive book provides an empowering prescription for hope and healing through people, not pills.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
26 people are currently reading
401 people want to read
About the author
Michael D. Yapko
52 books32 followersMichael D. Yapko, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and marriage and family therapist residing in Southern California.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 22, 2011
Title is totally misleading. It was a self-help book with a social focus, NOT a study of how depression in society is a "contagious" disease. It was alright for an "overcoming depression" book, neither bad nor memorable. But I was disappointed.
September 28, 2022
This is a workbook for combating depression. Every few pages there is a sidebar. They come is two flavors: One is “Learn by Doing” sidebar. The other is called: “Pause and Reflect.” Dr. Yapko doesn’t just tell us how it is, he asks us to consider it ourselves.
I think I first became aware of this book from a podcast which had the following in the transcript:
“And when you look at all of the things that antidepressant medications cannot do, not just will not do, but cannot do. They cannot teach you better social skills and social problem-solving skills. They cannot build a support network for you. They cannot teach you coping skills or problem-solving skills. And the reality is that life is challenging.”
https://www.neilsattin.com/blog/2019/...
I made a few notes while reading this book:
Section: Who is at risk for depression?
“If you are capable of having a mood, you are capable of having a mood disorder.” (Chapter 1, Page 16)
“I’m not suggesting you need to explore your childhood endlessly, but I am suggesting you will get further in your own personal development if you know that the attitudes and perspectives you hold were absorbed through those all-important relationships.” (Chapter 2, Page 31)
Section: Depression and negative frames of reference
“Depressed people tend to see themselves negatively and they tend to see others negatively. They tend to think about the future negatively and they are likely to interpret life experiences negatively. As a direct result, they are likely to react Negatively to life situations and thereby make their depression even worse.” (Chapter 32, Page 37)
“I want to encourage youth practice assessing virtually everyone you meet and engage with in some way… Any time you are going to be in a position of potentially being influenced by the actions of someone else, you need to have a better-than-average grasp of how this person does things in order to know how to position yourself with him or her. (Chapter 3, Page 55)
“Using your feelings to make decisions is very risky to do when your feelings are depressed. They can easily lead you to over analyze things, Miss options, respond half heartedly, overestimate risk, underestimate yourself, and otherwise misstep.” ... “Make your decisions according to the results you want, not just the way you feel.“ (Chapter 4, Page 87)
“Cult members hang around train stations and bus stations looking for people who look lost and without someplace they belong. Cult members (and pimps and sex traffickers) approach such people and begin the ‘love bombing’” (Chapter 7, page 153-4)
“Your Problems never go completely away: the tough issues in life will always be there. Guarding a good relationship, keeping fun from draining away from it, is an ongoing task. The same is true for closeness, support, sexuality, kindness, politeness, and generosity.” (Chapter 8, page 164-5)
Contents
1. Depression doesn’t arise in a social vacuum: The social foundation of depression
2. Other people are NOT just like you: Frames of reference, flexibility and acceptance
3. Expectations and relationship satisfaction: Learn to asses others realistically
4. Thinking too much and too deeply: Learn to take action
5. Don’t bring others down with you: Learn to “Lighten up”
6. Self-Decption and Seeking the Truth: Learn to Test Your Beliefs
7. Drawing the lines: Protect your personal boundaries
8. Marriage can save your life: How to keep yours healthy
9. Hand-me-down blues: Learn to reduce your child’s “Depression inheritance”
10. Afterword
* Notes (I am impressed that these are bi-directional since they have the page number the note was from)
* Appendix A: Exercises: A Table of Contents for of the exercises with page numbers. I count 56 exercises listed here. How long will it take to do all of them? How long will it take to recover from depression? Is it with the time it will take to get better?
* Appendix B: Self-help materials: Mostly programs that can be ordered on his website
* Appendix C: Websites of note “I have mentioned only a few of the ones in which I have a high level of confidence for their relevance and accuracy.”
* Acknowledgments
* Index
Some Books Mentioned:
(There is a quantity of books given favorable mention in the text, however, there is not a list at the back. Here are a few that caught my attention)
* Mistakes Were Made, (But Not by Me) by Carol Tavris and Eliot Aronson, 2007 “is an informative, funny, and vexing tiptoe through the minefield of self-deception.” (Chapter 2, Page 37-38)
* The Promise of Sleep by William Dement (Chapter 4, Page 76)
* Divorce Busting by Michele Weiser-Davis and Should You Leave? By Peter Kramer. Both are helpful in making one of life’s toughest decisions. (Self Deception chapter, page 129)
* Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love by Sue Johnson (Marriage Can Save Your Life chapter, page 163)
* The How of Happiness: ... by Sonja Lyubomirsky (same page)
I think I first became aware of this book from a podcast which had the following in the transcript:
“And when you look at all of the things that antidepressant medications cannot do, not just will not do, but cannot do. They cannot teach you better social skills and social problem-solving skills. They cannot build a support network for you. They cannot teach you coping skills or problem-solving skills. And the reality is that life is challenging.”
https://www.neilsattin.com/blog/2019/...
I made a few notes while reading this book:
Section: Who is at risk for depression?
“If you are capable of having a mood, you are capable of having a mood disorder.” (Chapter 1, Page 16)
“I’m not suggesting you need to explore your childhood endlessly, but I am suggesting you will get further in your own personal development if you know that the attitudes and perspectives you hold were absorbed through those all-important relationships.” (Chapter 2, Page 31)
Section: Depression and negative frames of reference
“Depressed people tend to see themselves negatively and they tend to see others negatively. They tend to think about the future negatively and they are likely to interpret life experiences negatively. As a direct result, they are likely to react Negatively to life situations and thereby make their depression even worse.” (Chapter 32, Page 37)
“I want to encourage youth practice assessing virtually everyone you meet and engage with in some way… Any time you are going to be in a position of potentially being influenced by the actions of someone else, you need to have a better-than-average grasp of how this person does things in order to know how to position yourself with him or her. (Chapter 3, Page 55)
“Using your feelings to make decisions is very risky to do when your feelings are depressed. They can easily lead you to over analyze things, Miss options, respond half heartedly, overestimate risk, underestimate yourself, and otherwise misstep.” ... “Make your decisions according to the results you want, not just the way you feel.“ (Chapter 4, Page 87)
“Cult members hang around train stations and bus stations looking for people who look lost and without someplace they belong. Cult members (and pimps and sex traffickers) approach such people and begin the ‘love bombing’” (Chapter 7, page 153-4)
“Your Problems never go completely away: the tough issues in life will always be there. Guarding a good relationship, keeping fun from draining away from it, is an ongoing task. The same is true for closeness, support, sexuality, kindness, politeness, and generosity.” (Chapter 8, page 164-5)
Contents
1. Depression doesn’t arise in a social vacuum: The social foundation of depression
2. Other people are NOT just like you: Frames of reference, flexibility and acceptance
3. Expectations and relationship satisfaction: Learn to asses others realistically
4. Thinking too much and too deeply: Learn to take action
5. Don’t bring others down with you: Learn to “Lighten up”
6. Self-Decption and Seeking the Truth: Learn to Test Your Beliefs
7. Drawing the lines: Protect your personal boundaries
8. Marriage can save your life: How to keep yours healthy
9. Hand-me-down blues: Learn to reduce your child’s “Depression inheritance”
10. Afterword
* Notes (I am impressed that these are bi-directional since they have the page number the note was from)
* Appendix A: Exercises: A Table of Contents for of the exercises with page numbers. I count 56 exercises listed here. How long will it take to do all of them? How long will it take to recover from depression? Is it with the time it will take to get better?
* Appendix B: Self-help materials: Mostly programs that can be ordered on his website
* Appendix C: Websites of note “I have mentioned only a few of the ones in which I have a high level of confidence for their relevance and accuracy.”
* Acknowledgments
* Index
Some Books Mentioned:
(There is a quantity of books given favorable mention in the text, however, there is not a list at the back. Here are a few that caught my attention)
* Mistakes Were Made, (But Not by Me) by Carol Tavris and Eliot Aronson, 2007 “is an informative, funny, and vexing tiptoe through the minefield of self-deception.” (Chapter 2, Page 37-38)
* The Promise of Sleep by William Dement (Chapter 4, Page 76)
* Divorce Busting by Michele Weiser-Davis and Should You Leave? By Peter Kramer. Both are helpful in making one of life’s toughest decisions. (Self Deception chapter, page 129)
* Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love by Sue Johnson (Marriage Can Save Your Life chapter, page 163)
* The How of Happiness: ... by Sonja Lyubomirsky (same page)
July 27, 2012
I was expecting a book taking a sociological broad view on depression, but what it feels like instead is a self-help book on creating and maintaining healthy relationships. It has lots of good advice, but I think the title is a misnomer. Had it been named something else, my rating would likely have been higher.
December 13, 2024
The book starts well. The best parts are the introduction and the title. But later on it turns into generally speaking self help stuff and fails to provide clear and to-the-point scientific knowledge.
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December 26, 2014hard to progress bc of my past, present & I know - future. My diagnosis is not just depression, bordline, bipolar... there are more. What I really want to say - watch this film (interview with Noam Chomsky really) "Is the Man Who Is Tall Happy?" He was asked by director & writer Michel Gondry: "Are You happy?" Noam answered: "I really don't think about it." So... if You are in the IQ of genius, or/and very sensitive to the tiny things that surround Your world, or/and You react to them from mind-heart (Chinese xīn 心) etc. etc. etc. there is no book, no tutorial, no psychoanalysis, no meds... You just are what You are...
April 19, 2014
An interesting take that places the conventional wisdom about depression as a function of chemical imbalance into serious question. While serotonin levels do tend to be higher on average in depressed people than a control group, the range in both groups is very wide. Yet psychiatry and big Pharma have both leaned very heavily on that average, arguably exacerbating the disease (the "contagion" of the title) by neglecting social and systemic failures in favor of chemical fixes. The self-help bits of this book aren't anything special, but its overall perspective is important.
January 7, 2014
I actually didn't ever finish the last chapter or two, but everything else was excellent. One day I'll finish it. I learned so much from this book and would recommend it to anyone regardless of depression just for the life skills it teaches. I picked up strategies for just dealing with life that I will hopefully model for and pass on to my kids. The author says that all of us are affected by depression in one way or another, which I fully believe. We would all do well to read this book.
August 16, 2010
I've always prided myself on having a very positive attitude but it takes a lot more work as you get older. I loved this book and agree with calling out big pharma for it's role in spreading the disease of learned helplessness. This is a really deep topic and every teenager should read this before traveling down the wrong path of searching outside themselves for happiness.
July 3, 2010
Social psychology was particularly interesting to me. Even with insights into the disease and its interplay with your interpersonal relationships, the title is a little to sensational and misleading.
May 21, 2022
I like this guy and I respect him. However, this does not exactly hold a candle to any other book he has written. In fact, this was the least useful. The title of the book does not match what was in it. I normally keep all my psychology books but this one is being sent away, it's just not that good.
November 20, 2023
I was discovering him from a TedTalk and straight away curious about his book, I can honestly say that it has changed the way I think and view the world. I was initially skeptical of this common topic and thought it would be another repetitive piece of information, but this psychologist has made it enjoyable and manageable. Very solid points, easy.
March 24, 2022
This book helped me become aware of my depressive tendencies, and provided some clear advice on how to change one's behavior and thoughts to be less depressed.
November 5, 2023
Honest, direct and very useful for daily life!
Not just plain theory - Dr.Yapko gives many examples why it is so important to take good care of our mental and physical health and how to get back on track after crises.
Not just plain theory - Dr.Yapko gives many examples why it is so important to take good care of our mental and physical health and how to get back on track after crises.
July 25, 2011
This book saved my life!!!
It's straight-forward, no BS nonsense practical advice is a must read for anyone who gets the sads or anyone who wishes to understand the thought patterns of people with depression.
I wasn't taken in by the first couple of chapters about the pharmaceutical industry and people being disconnected from their communities (I don't disagree, just doesn't catch my interest that much). The remaining chapters are what really impressed me; the advice and examples of bad thought patterns.
One interesting comment the author made was about how selfish it would be for a man supporting his family to take up dangerous extreme sports because he might die and his family would suffer financially. I completely disagree with that! I believe life is to be enjoyed and how about the wife getting a job...!
It's straight-forward, no BS nonsense practical advice is a must read for anyone who gets the sads or anyone who wishes to understand the thought patterns of people with depression.
I wasn't taken in by the first couple of chapters about the pharmaceutical industry and people being disconnected from their communities (I don't disagree, just doesn't catch my interest that much). The remaining chapters are what really impressed me; the advice and examples of bad thought patterns.
One interesting comment the author made was about how selfish it would be for a man supporting his family to take up dangerous extreme sports because he might die and his family would suffer financially. I completely disagree with that! I believe life is to be enjoyed and how about the wife getting a job...!
Read
September 24, 2011An interesting look at social causes of depression - although the solutions seem on first read to lack depth. I felt a bit uncomfortable with the us/them tone at times. Liked the use of the word "allow." You can allow for things that you don't understand, like, believe, trust.
May 6, 2013
A great book on the treatment of depression, a must read for anyone interested in learning to treat mood disturbance
October 16, 2015
I accidentally requested this book at the library and skimmed through it in a few hours. It has some fresh ideas I hadn't heard before.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews