Full Description
Depression sucks. It's a debilitating illness that affects the mind and the body-and chances are that you or someone you love will battle depression at some point in your lifetime. This Is Depression is your guide through the darkness.A widely respected authority on the diagnosis and treatment of mood and anxiety disorders, psychiatrist Dr. Diane McIntosh provides all the information you need to understand and combat this serious and isolating disorder. Written in an accessible format with compassion and humor, Dr. McIntosh takes an evidence-based approach as she outlines the causes, impact, and treatment of depression and along the way provides encouragement that it can be overcome.This Is Depression reveals:* how life experience, genetics, and hormones factor into depression, and explores the common overlap between depression and other mental and physical illnesses* how all areas of life can be impacted by depression-home, school, work, and relationships* how to communicate about mental illness, whether with your doctor or your boss, a rude friend or nosy co-worker, or loved ones* critical information about every available depression treatment - and those that are on the horizon-describing how antidepressants work, which treatments are worth taking, and which are useless... or even dangerous* when to consider psychotherapy, brain-stimulation treatments, mindfulness meditation, and exercise and what to expect from a therapeutic relationship* essential tools to support you in your recovery or your loved one on their journey.Depression can be a lonely, debilitating illness, but sufferers are not alone, and there is always a path forward. This book is the first step on that path.
Contents
IntroductionChapter 1: What is depressionChapter 2: What causes depression?Chapter 3: How do early life experiences impact mental health later in life?Chapter 4: Is depression a brain disorder?Chapter 5: Does depression co-occur with other illnesses?Chapter 6: Are there sex differences when it comes to depression?Chapter 7: If I am depressed, where can I find help?Chapter 8: How do I talk about depression?Chapter 9: What are the treatment options for depression?Chapter 10: What are antidepressants and how do they work?Chapter 11: What are the common antidepressant side effects?Chapter 12: What is treatment-resistant depression?Chapter 13: What are non-medication treatments for depression?Chapter 14: What are some myths about depression?Chapter 15: How is depression different in special populations?Chapter 16: What is the connection between depression and suicide?Conclusion: The Gifts We Give Ourselves16 Essential Steps on the Path to RecoveryAcknowledgementsGlossaryAppendix: Canada-Wide Resources for Mental Illness Support and TreatmentReferencesIndex
