Full Description
Since the publication of the first edition in 1993, there have been important developments in the understanding of depression and in the treatment approaches. This new edition reflects these new realities, giving increased emphasis to the biological foundations of depression, the development of and wide use of antidepressant drugs, the shift in the means of dispensing these drugs from mental health professionals to primary care physicians, and the development of alternative medicine approaches to treatment.
Written in an easy-to-read manner, the book provides a wide-ranging picture of what is known about depressed moods and depression, from demographic, biological, and psychological aspects to methods of treatment and issues surrounding recurrence.
Contents
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Preface to the Second Edition
Introduction
1. Depressed Mood and Depression
2. Depression in the United States
3. The Biological Bases of Depression
4. A Psychological Perspective on Depression
5. The Roots of Depression: A Look at Childhood Experiences
6. Stress and Depression
7. Depression, Alcohol and Drugs
8. Coping with Depressed Feelings
9. Some Counsel for the Family and Friends of a Depressed Person
10. Seeking Professional Help: Changing Patterns
11. Antidepressant Drugs
12. Psychotherapy
13. Hospitalization for Depression and the Use of Electroconvulsive Therapy
14. Alternative Treatments for Depression
15. The Problem of Recurrence
16. Concluding Remarks
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index
