Depression For Dummies

by Smith, Laura L.; Elliott, Charles H.

• ISBN13: 9780764539008
• ISBN10: 0764539000
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-09-26
• Publisher: For Dummies

Summary

"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 naïve 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 depressionSo, 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.

Author Biography

Laura L. Smith, PhD and Charles H. Elliott, PhD are both international speakers who have clinical practices specializing in the treatment of depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders.

Table of Contents

Foreword	xvii
Introduction	1	(6)
A Note to Our Depressed Readers	2	(1)
Conventions Used in his Book	2	(1)
About This Book	2	(1)
Foolish Assumptions	3	(1)
How This Book Is Organized	4	(2)
Part I: Discovering Depression and Preparing a Plan	4	(1)
Part II: Untwisting Your Thinking: Thought Therapy	4	(1)
Part III: Taking Action Against Depression: Behavior Therapy	4	(1)
Part IV: Rebuilding Connections: Relationship Therapy	5	(1)
Part V: Fighting the Physical Foe: Biological Therapies	5	(1)
Part VI: Looking Beyond Depression	5	(1)
Part VII: The Part of Tens	5	(1)
Icons Used in This Book	6	(1)
Where to Go from Here	6	(1)
Part I: Discovering Depression and Preparing a Plan	7	(74)
Chapter 1: Demystifying and Defeating Depression	9	(12)
Just Singing the Blues or Depressed?	9	(1)
The Varying Faces of Depression	10	(4)
Young and depressed	10	(2)
Is grandpa grumpy or depressed?	12	(1)
Real men don't get depressed, or do they?	12	(1)
Women and depression	13	(1)
Depression and diversity	14	(1)
Adding Up the Costs of Depression	14	(3)
Counting cash costs of depression	15	(1)
Previewing personal costs of depression	15	(1)
Detailing depression's physical toll	16	(1)
Feeling Good Again	17	(3)
Thinking therapy	18	(1)
Doing away with depression	18	(1)
Reinventing relationships	18	(1)
Finding biological solutions	19	(1)
Feeling Better than Good	20	(1)
Celebrating Sadness	20	(1)
Chapter 2: Detecting Depression	21	(24)
Recognizing the Ravages of Depression	22	(5)
Dwelling on bleak thoughts	22	(2)
Dragging your feet: Depressed behavior	24	(1)
Reflecting upon relationships and depression	25	(1)
Feeling funky: The physical signs of depression	26	(1)
The Six Plagues of Depression	27	(9)
Major depressive disorder: Can't even get out of bed	28	(2)
Dysthymic disorder: Chronic, low-level depression	30	(1)
Adjustment disorder with depressed mood: When bad things happen	31	(1)
Bipolar disorder: Ups and downs	31	(2)
Seasonal affective disorder: Dark depression	33	(1)
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder and postpartum depression: Horrible hormones?	34	(2)
Connecting Drugs, Diseases, and Depression	36	(2)
Depressing drugs	36	(1)
Depressing diseases	37	(1)
Good Grief! Is Depression Ever Normal?	38	(1)
Digging Out the Causes of Depression	39	(2)
Monitoring Mood	41	(4)
Chapter 3: Breaking Barriers to Change	45	(22)
Rummaging Through the Reasons for Avoidance	46	(13)
Flushing out the fear of change	46	(2)
Finding change-blocking beliefs	48	(9)
Shining a light on myths about therapy	57	(2)
Saving Yourself from Self-Limitations	59	(8)
Tracking saboteurs	60	(2)
Suspending judgment	62	(1)
Going slow	63	(1)
Appreciating how progress proceeds	64	(1)
Rewriting your reams of failure stories	65	(2)
Chapter 4: Finding Help for Depression	67	(14)
Stumbling onto a Solution	67	(1)
Exploring the Self-Help Option	68	(2)
Deciding whether self-help is a singular solution	68	(1)
Reviewing the resources	69	(1)
Pursuing the Psychotherapy Option	70	(6)
Uncovering the effective therapies	71	(1)
Discovering who's who in psychotherapy	72	(1)
Finding the right therapist for you	73	(1)
Knowing if the shoe fits: Do you have a good match with your therapist?	74	(2)
Talking to a Professional about Antidepressant Medication	76	(7)
Professionals who prescribe most medications	77	(1)
Occasional prescribers	77	(1)
Mental health professionals who generally don't prescribe medications	78	(3)
Part II: Untwisting Your Thinking: Thought Therapy	81	(78)
Chapter 5: Discovering Depression-Driven Thinking	83	(22)
Thinking about Cognitive Therapy	83	(2)
Tracking Thoughts, Feelings, and the Related Events in Your Life	85	(4)
Finding feelings	85	(2)
Ferreting out thoughts	87	(1)
Building a Thought Tracker	88	(1)
Digging Up Distortions in Thinking	89	(16)
Scrambling signals	90	(6)
Making misjudgments	96	(5)
Assigning blame to the wrong source	101	(1)
Using emotions, the misleading cues	102	(3)
Chapter 6: Breaking Up the Dark Clouds of Depressive Thinking	105	(22)
Thought Court Is Now in Session	106	(12)
Tracking the thought and making the arrest	108	(2)
Taking the thought to court	110	(3)
Finding replacements for jailed thoughts	113	(1)
Rating the results of your replacement thoughts	114	(2)
Trying another example	116	(2)
Opening a Thought-Repair Toolkit	118	(9)
Giving your problem to a friend	118	(1)
Putting time on your side	119	(1)
Putting thoughts to the test	120	(2)
Revisiting your all-or-none thinking	122	(1)
Facing the worst	123	(4)
Chapter 7: Discovering the Cracked Lenses Behind Depression	127	(22)
Looking Closely at the Mechanics of Life-Lenses	128	(4)
Writing prescriptions for life-lenses	130	(1)
Seeing the world through life-lenses	131	(1)
Searching for Your Mind's Life-Lenses	132	(3)
Breaking Problematic Life-Lenses	135	(5)
Finding self-forgiveness	135	(1)
Understanding the difference between then and now	136	(1)
Conducting a cost/benefit analysis	137	(3)
Writing New Prescriptions for Clear Lenses	140	(9)
Looking through contrasting lenses	140	(3)
Modeling new lenses	143	(1)
Taking direct actions	144	(1)
Writing letters to the optometrist	145	(4)
Chapter 8: Mending Your Memory	149	(10)
Making Sense of Memory	150	(1)
Depressing Disruptions	151	(2)
Worrying About Forgetting	153	(1)
Boosting Broken Memory	154	(7)
Writing stuff down	154	(1)
Developing routines	155	(1)
Smelling (and touching and seeing) the roses	155	(1)
Remembering names	156	(1)
Chunking	156	(1)
Getting rid of distractions	157	(1)
Following through	157	(1)
Revving up recall	158	(1)
Part III: Taking Action Against Depression: Behavior Therapy	159	(48)
Chapter 9: Getting Out of Bed	161	(12)
Taking Action	161	(2)
I don't feel motivated to do anything	162	(1)
I'm too tired and depressed to do anything	162	(1)
If I try, I'll just fail	163	(1)
I'm just a lazy person	163	(1)
Putting One Foot in Front of the Other: Activity Logs	163	(3)
Conquering Can'ts	166	(2)
Reviewing your thoughts	166	(1)
Testing the waters	167	(1)
Charting Your Course through Negative Predictions	168	(2)
Giving Yourself Credit	170	(3)
Chapter 10: Working Out to lift Depression	173	(8)
Introducing Endorphins into Your Life	174	(1)
Conquering Couch Potato-itis	175	(2)
Easing into Exercise	177	(1)
Weighing Your Exercise Options	178	(3)
Pumping iron	178	(1)
Revving up your heart and lungs	179	(1)
Yikes! Yoga?	180	(1)
Chapter 11: Rediscovering Healthy Pleasures	181	(10)
Taking run Seriously	181	(1)
Making a List and Checking It Twice	182	(2)
Fighting the Pleasure Busters	184	(7)
Guilt busters	185	(3)
Expecting the worst	188	(3)
Chapter 12: Solving Life's Headaches	191	(16)
Drawing Up the Problem-Solving Game Plan - S.O.C.C.E.R	192	(1)
Assessing Your Problem Situation (S)	193	(2)
Foraging for Options (O)	195	(4)
Letting go	196	(1)
Thinking visually	197	(1)
Permitting playfulness	198	(1)
Reviewing your options	198	(1)
Contemplating Consequences (C)	199	(1)
Choosing Your Poison (C)	200	(3)
Consulting the friend within	201	(1)
Choosing sides	202	(1)
Handling Your Emotions (E)	203	(2)
Holding the dress rehearsal	204	(1)
Talking to yourself	204	(1)
Running and Reviewing (R)	205	(2)
Part IV: Rebuilding Connections: Relationship Therapy	207	(30)
Chapter 13: Working Through Loss, Grief, and Mourning	209	(12)
Losing What You Care About	210	(5)
Losing someone	210	(2)
Transitioning through life	212	(2)
Breaking up is so hard to do	214	(1)
Working Through Grief	215	(6)
Reconstructing the relationship	216	(2)
Rolling through roles	218	(3)
Chapter 14: Relationship Enhancement	221	(16)
The Depression-Rejection Connection	222	(2)
Exaggerating the negative	222	(1)
Looking for negative feedback	223	(1)
Fighting off constructive criticism	223	(1)
Pursuing Positives	224	(4)
Giving compliments	224	(1)
Doing nice things	225	(1)
Planning positive times together	226	(1)
Introducing nice into your everyday routine	227	(1)
Defeating Defensiveness	228	(4)
Checking it out	229	(1)
Depersonalizing	230	(2)
Getting Your Message Across	232	(7)
Using "I Messages"	232	(1)
Creating buffers	233	(1)
Defusing criticism	234	(1)
Putting the techniques to work	234	(3)
Part V. Fighting the Physical Foe: Biological Therapies	237	(34)
Chapter 15: Prescribing Pleasure	239	(20)
Hammering Depression: Choosing the Right Tool for You	240	(1)
Exploring the Medication Option	241	(4)
Taking medication the right way	243	(1)
Opting out of medication	244	(1)
Working with Your Doctor to Find the Correct Medication	245	(1)
Brushing Up on Biology	246	(2)
Deciphering Drugs for Depression	248	(7)
Selecting SSRIs	249	(2)
Getting more bang for the buck	251	(2)
Next choice: Tricyclics	253	(1)
Figuring out MAO inhibitors	254	(1)
Looking Beyond Antidepressants	255	(4)
Smoothing out moods	256	(1)
More help for severe depression	257	(1)
A few more for the road	258	(1)
Chapter 16: Hype, Help, or Hope? Alternative Treatments for Depression	259	(12)
Keeping Your Doc in the Loop	260	(1)
Swallowing Supplements and Herbs	260	(3)
St. John's wort	261	(1)
SAM-e	261	(1)
Tryptophan and 5 HTP	262	(1)
Omega-3 fatty acids	262	(1)
Herbs with more hype than help	263	(1)
Vibrancy from Vitamins and Minerals	263	(1)
Happy Foods	264	(1)
Lighting Up the Darkness	265	(1)
Treating Severe Depression	266	(3)
Shocking depression	266	(2)
Stimulating nerves	268	(1)
Magnetizing depression	269	(1)
Searching Further	269	(4)
Air ionization	270	(1)
Massage	270	(1)
Relaxation	270	(1)
Part VI: Looking Beyond Depression	271	(50)
Chapter 17: Reducing the Risk of Relapse	273	(14)
Risking Relapse with Depression	274	(3)
Determining what's going on	274	(1)
Laying out relapse rates	275	(1)
Getting personal about your risks	275	(2)
Preparing a Prevention Plan	277	(8)
Sustaining success	277	(1)
Monitoring the signs	278	(1)
Using a fire drill	279	(2)
Reaching for well-being	281	(4)
Reining in Relapse When It Occurs	285	(2)
Chapter 18: Confronting Depression with Mindfulness	287	(18)
Drawing the Line Between You and Your Mind	288	(1)
Losing Your Mind	288	(7)
Thinking about negative thoughts as facts	289	(3)
Resisting what is	292	(1)
Living anytime but now	293	(2)
Living Mindfully	295	(10)
Acquiring acceptance	296	(2)
Connecting with experience	298	(7)
Chapter 19: Pursuing Happiness Through Positive Psychology	305	(16)
Hunting Down Happiness	306	(2)
Making the case for being happy	306	(1)
Looking for happiness in all the wrong places	307	(1)
Getting on the Right Path to Real Happiness	308	(15)
Gathering gratitude	308	(3)
Helping others	311	(1)
Finding flow	312	(1)
Focusing on strengths	313	(2)
Rejecting the quick fix	315	(2)
Finding forgiveness	317	(1)
Searching for meaning and purpose	318	(3)
Part VII: The Part of Tens	321	(24)
Chapter 20: Ten Ways Out of a Bad Mood	323	(6)
Chomping on Chocolate	323	(1)
Doing Something Nice	324	(1)
Getting a Lift from Exercise	324	(1)
Singing Yourself into a Better Mood	324	(1)
Calling a Long-Lost Friend	325	(1)
Dancing to a Different Beat	325	(1)
Soaking the Blues Away	325	(1)
Petting Your Way to a Better Mood	325	(1)
Taking a Hike	326	(1)
Mellowing Through Mindfulness	326	(3)
Chapter 21: Ten Ways to Help Kids With Depression	329	(6)
Finding Fun	329	(1)
Doling Out Discipline	330	(1)
Giving Feedback	330	(1)
Climbing Every Mountain	330	(1)
Revving Up Responsibilities	331	(1)
Talking and Listening	331	(1)
Recognizing Depression	331	(1)
Looking Under Rocks	332	(1)
Getting Help	333	(1)
Loving No Matter What	333	(2)
Chapter 22: Ten Ways to Help a Friend or Lover with Depression	335	(6)
Recognizing Depression	335	(1)
Referring for Help	336	(1)
Listening Without Solving	336	(1)
Taking Care of Yourself	337	(1)
Holding Criticism at Bay	337	(1)
Depersonalizing Depression	338	(1)
Finding Patience	338	(1)
Remembering to Care	339	(1)
Providing Encouragement and Remaining Hopeful	339	(1)
Exhorting Exercise	339	(2)
Appendix: Resources for You	341	(4)
Self-Help Books	341	(1)
Resources to Help Children	342	(1)
Helpful Web Sites	343	(2)
Index	345