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...this book is a comprehensive, sympathetic, and thought-provoking guide for those who want to explore their depression in more depth and who are motivated to make long-term changes in their ways of thinking and their lifestyle. It can also be recommended to carers of people with depression and to junior doctors in psychiatry. --The British Journal of Psychiatry, April 2011
Practical, concise, [this book] does not overwhelm the reader and can be re-read and used as a 'what can I do now?' guide for those affected themselves or carers. The book brings understanding and encourages independent solutions. It is remarkable in its shortness and practicality. Pragmatic yet empathetic. --The British Medical Association
Practical, concise, [this book] does not overwhelm the reader and can be re-read and used as a 'what can I do now?' guide for those affected themselves or carers. The book brings understanding and encourages independent solutions. It is remarkable in its shortness and practicality. Pragmatic yet empathetic. --The British Medical Association
Product Description
'Growing from Depression' is a counterintuitive, perhaps even provocative title for a self-help guide on depression, but I chose it for what I think are three very good reasons. First, I wanted to challenge perceptions of people with depression. Rather than being 'lazy' or 'losers', they are often among some of the most ambitious, truthful, and courageous of all people. Second, whereas getting ill is never a good thing, depression can present a precious opportunity to recognise and to address difficult life problems. This can lead not only to a better future, but also to a more refined perspective and deeper understanding of one's life and of life in general. Third, and perhaps most obviously, the journey out of depression is one of learning: learning about oneself, of course, but also learning about the many life skills that are covered in this book, skills such as defeating thinking errors, managing stress and anxiety, building confidence and self-esteem, building relationships, eating healthily, and getting a good night's sleep. These skills should not only help you to get better, but also to stay better and to enjoy a better quality of life than ever before. **HIGHLY COMMENDED IN THE 2011 BMA BOOK AWARDS.**
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
In this short book, Dr Burton argues that the concept of depression as a biological illness of the brain has been over-extended to include all manner of human suffering, and that biological treatment is not always the most appropriate or effective response.
Although the experience of depression is invariably painful, it can present us with a precious opportunity to address some very challenging life problems. The time and space and solitude that depression affords can enable us to think about the bigger picture, reassess our needs, and formulate a modest but realistic plan for fulfilling them. It can also enable us to value and deepen our human relationships, and to develop a more refined perspective and deeper understanding of our life and of life in general. This wisdom and self-knowledge can help us to become who we truly are and, in so doing, to give deep meaning to our life.
Rather than being moral or social failures, the kind of people who become depressed are often people with high standards and expectations who have naturally come to be disillusioned by `the comparative baseness of their life circumstances, human nature, or the human condition'. Thus, the onset of depression is not so much a sign of failure as it is a sign of honesty, of courage, and even of nobility.
This is the central and refreshingly optimistic message of `Growing from Depression'. However, the book also contains a lot of general information about depression and its biological and psychological treatments, including antidepressant drugs, CBT, and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). There is a large section on self-help with short and user-friendly chapters on defeating thinking errors, fighting thoughts of self-harm, developing confidence and self-esteem, building relationships, and so on. Finally, there is a section entitled `Mental Healthcare Services and the Law' which not only explains the system but also includes a comprehensive list of useful websites and phone numbers.
Although the experience of depression is invariably painful, it can present us with a precious opportunity to address some very challenging life problems. The time and space and solitude that depression affords can enable us to think about the bigger picture, reassess our needs, and formulate a modest but realistic plan for fulfilling them. It can also enable us to value and deepen our human relationships, and to develop a more refined perspective and deeper understanding of our life and of life in general. This wisdom and self-knowledge can help us to become who we truly are and, in so doing, to give deep meaning to our life.
Rather than being moral or social failures, the kind of people who become depressed are often people with high standards and expectations who have naturally come to be disillusioned by `the comparative baseness of their life circumstances, human nature, or the human condition'. Thus, the onset of depression is not so much a sign of failure as it is a sign of honesty, of courage, and even of nobility.
This is the central and refreshingly optimistic message of `Growing from Depression'. However, the book also contains a lot of general information about depression and its biological and psychological treatments, including antidepressant drugs, CBT, and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). There is a large section on self-help with short and user-friendly chapters on defeating thinking errors, fighting thoughts of self-harm, developing confidence and self-esteem, building relationships, and so on. Finally, there is a section entitled `Mental Healthcare Services and the Law' which not only explains the system but also includes a comprehensive list of useful websites and phone numbers.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Having read quite a few books on the subject of depression and how to identify and cope with it, the title of this one immediately intrigued.
'Growing from Depression' is an idea that not many would think of as a possibility, looking more for a reset to their previous selves than a wholly altered new being, who has chosen to benefit from their suffering.
It is a reasonably short book but packs a lot of information into many chapters and covers a wide range of facets that explain the illness clearly. It goes into good detail (a chapter devoted to each) on how each facet affects the sufferer and how to control these to help the condition overall.
Of special interest was the break down of the Mental Health services that are run by the NHS and what is available in terms of general support and how a depressed patient is assessed for treatment. This information is not so easy to get from other sources, and in such a well defined way, so this was very useful to have.
It is written in such a way that it is easy to understand and helpful to those both simply looking to understand the condition and to overcome it either in themselves or someone they know.
Particularly good is a chapter on how to cope as a carer of someone with depression, although a little short. perhaps this could be a next book for Dr Burton?
The viewpoint of the book overall seeks to challenge many stereotypes of depressed people and refers to them repeatedly in a more positive sense using words such as s 'noble' and 'courageous'. Repeatition is used in case we don't get the message the first or second time (particularly a problem if the person reading the book is the sufferer) and refreshingly, psychotic symptoms are not shyed away from nor stigmatised.
the book is realistic too in that it does not offer a '10 step plan' to guranteed relief from depressive symptoms' which can often give false hope, leading to further frustrations and deeper depression when the plan does not give results in the specified time.
The one thing I would say that would improve this book would be more case studies, as I find the more we hear about others experiences the less alone we feel and the more able to cope.
All in all, a unique book compared to others on the market and well worth a read for anybody affected by depression.
'Growing from Depression' is an idea that not many would think of as a possibility, looking more for a reset to their previous selves than a wholly altered new being, who has chosen to benefit from their suffering.
It is a reasonably short book but packs a lot of information into many chapters and covers a wide range of facets that explain the illness clearly. It goes into good detail (a chapter devoted to each) on how each facet affects the sufferer and how to control these to help the condition overall.
Of special interest was the break down of the Mental Health services that are run by the NHS and what is available in terms of general support and how a depressed patient is assessed for treatment. This information is not so easy to get from other sources, and in such a well defined way, so this was very useful to have.
It is written in such a way that it is easy to understand and helpful to those both simply looking to understand the condition and to overcome it either in themselves or someone they know.
Particularly good is a chapter on how to cope as a carer of someone with depression, although a little short. perhaps this could be a next book for Dr Burton?
The viewpoint of the book overall seeks to challenge many stereotypes of depressed people and refers to them repeatedly in a more positive sense using words such as s 'noble' and 'courageous'. Repeatition is used in case we don't get the message the first or second time (particularly a problem if the person reading the book is the sufferer) and refreshingly, psychotic symptoms are not shyed away from nor stigmatised.
the book is realistic too in that it does not offer a '10 step plan' to guranteed relief from depressive symptoms' which can often give false hope, leading to further frustrations and deeper depression when the plan does not give results in the specified time.
The one thing I would say that would improve this book would be more case studies, as I find the more we hear about others experiences the less alone we feel and the more able to cope.
All in all, a unique book compared to others on the market and well worth a read for anybody affected by depression.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I work as a counsellor, and, of all the books on depression, this is the one that I always recommend. This for three main reasons. 1. It's very clearly written in bite size chunks that even people with symptoms such as lack of energy and difficulty concentrating (common symptoms of depression) can follow and take in. 2. It's very comprehensive. The first section explains what depression is, who it affects, what causes it, and how it's diagnosed. The second section covers the various types of psychological and drug treatments. The third section contains a number of self-contained self-help modules such as 'defeating thinking errors', 'managing anxiety', 'developing confidence and self-esteem', and so on. And the fourth and last section tells you all you need to know about the mental healthcare services that are out there. 3. Finally, and most importantly, it's very positive and encouraging in tone. The author convincingly argues that the kind of people who become ill with depression are not, as many people think, 'failures' or 'losers', but, on the contrary, some of the most ambitious, truthful, and courageous people out there, which is why they became ill in the first place. He also lets you feel that depression is not just an unfortunate illness, but also an opportunity for self-growth and personal development. I cannot recommend this book enough.
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