Depression for Dummies

by Laura L. Smith, Charles H. Elliott

"What do you have to be depressed about?" Bet you've heard that one before. Or how about, "You're depressed? Just get over it!" Easier said than done, right? Or here's a favorite, "They have a pill for that now, you know."Unfortunately, such naive armchair psychology rarely works for someone suffering from the very real plight of depression. All it does is seek to trivialize depression and characterize depressed people as "whiners" who have nothing better to do than to "complain about their lives." But the truth is, depression is a very real problem. In fact, the World Health Organization estimates that, on any given day, 121 million people worldwide suffer from depression. And depression rates continue to increase - for example, kids exhibit depression at nearly ten times the rate of previous generations. Theories abound as to why depression rates are increasing, but regardless of the cause, this scourge continues to rob its victims of happiness, joy, and the capacity to give and receive love.

So why "Depression For Dummies," when there's already a glut of self-help books on the market peddling so-called cures and remedies for depression? Because this book satisfies the need for a straight-talking, no-nonsense resource on depression. The only agenda of "Depression For Dummies" is to present you with the facts on depression and explain the options for dealing with it. Rest assured, this is no infomercial in a yellow and black cover.

Here's just a sampling of what you'll find in "Depression For Dummies": -Demystifying the types of depression
-Discovering what goes on in the body of a depressed person
-Detecting and diagnosing depression
-Seeking help through therapy and medication
-Modifying depressed behavior and solving life's headaches
-Dealing with depression resulting from grief and relationship issues
-Cutting through the hype of alternative treatments for depression
-Moving beyond depression: Avoiding relapses and pursuing a happy life
-Top Ten lists on getting rid of a your bad mood and helping your kids and other family members out of depression

So, whatever your level of depression - whether you suffer from occasional bouts or you find yourself seriously debilitated by depression - "Depression For Dummies" can give you the insight and tools you need to once again find enjoyment and happiness in life. All it takes is one step.

Genres: Psychology, Self Help, Mental Health, Nonfiction, Science, Health

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Kylie]

The book Depression For Dummies by Laura L.Smith and Charles H.Elliot is about depression ,it's symptoms , how it effects people differently, and how it could cause permanent damage to who you are, your physical body and how you interact with people. The problem is that there are so many people in the world with undiagnosed depression and not getting the help they need its leading to further issues in there live that could effect there futures in a big way.Some causes of depression death of a loved one, divorce, guilt, loss of friendship of someone close to you, and childhood trauma or any kind of trauma. I think this book can tell you everything about depression and get you really aware of the issue it covers everything from why people could be depressed to therapies they have tried to solve the issue. I do recommend this book to anyone who would like to learn more about depression or understand it more.

[Hillary roberts]

I have struggled with depression for as long as I remember. It is mostly gone now expect for the annoying “winter blues”, This time of year I am always looking for ways to remain happy and upbeat through the long dark days of winter. I have read many books on the topic, and this one seemed to rehash all of the other books out there on depression. I guess there is nothing new out there on the topic, so there is nothing new to write. If you haven’t read a book on depression yet this is a good book to start you off with.
It covers the types of therapies available and the types of medication out there among other things.This review was originally posted on Adventures in Never Never Land

[James · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not bad for being a dummy reading about my depression. Most informative. I wish others suffering this horrific disease well and for others who love those suffering this disease great peace and healing.

[David Wei · Rating 4 out of 5]

N'étant pas depressif moi-même, ce livre m'a quand même enseigné des choses et permis de voir certains aspects de la vie d'une façon différente.

Par rapport à un autre ouvrage que j'ai lu sur le sujet, le plus de celui-ci est qu'il propose des petits exercices pratiques faciles a mettre en place.

[M Pereira · Rating 5 out of 5]

A surprisingly profound and philosophical book that most importantly will have some import for people who are experiencing the condition to consider real solutions to their difficulty. Also the edition I read acknowledged Covid-19 and some recent developments around 2021 and acknowledged some future treatments may be prospective in the future but do not currently have cochrane level results.

[Angélica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Muy útil para la vida, no sólo para personas con depresión.

[Marianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some interesting info and ideas for dealing and coping.

[Linda Is on her way · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 or 4 Stars. Some examples were a bit unfitting I found. And the whole thing about forgiveness, absolutely not. Also they sometimes said what to do but not how to do it. The rest was good though

[Ray · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good, but slightly outdated (now) book for just depression. If you are afflicted by any other depression related (or misdiagnosed) issue this really doesn't help much. Still some information that can be helpful to some.

[Shenandoah Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

help me understand more on that topic

[Azedin · Rating 5 out of 5]

very helpful and enriching read