DEPRESSION FOR DUMMIES

The good news on beating the blues Do you want the good, the bad, or the best news first? OK, the bad news is that an estimated 264+ million people worldwide suffer from a depressive illness. The good news is that we know how to defeat these illnesses better than ever before using a growing range of highly effective psychotherapies, medications, and other therapeutic methods that are improving all the time. And the best news: because of these advances, the majority of people no longer need to suffer the debilitating—and sometimes dangerous—effects of long-term depressive illness. The new edition of Depression For Dummies shows how you can make this happen for you by providing the latest and best information on how to banish the noonday demon and bring the sunshine back into your world. In this friendly, cheerful, no-nonsense guide, leading clinical psychologists Laura L. Smith and Charles H. Elliot give you the straight talk on what you face and proven, practical advice on how to punch back and win. Showing you how to know your enemy, they demystify common types of depression, explain its physical effects, and help identify the kind you have. Armed in this way, you can take firmer steps toward the lifestyle changes—as well as therapy or medication—that will put you back in control. Learn about different forms of depression Build simple, daily habits into your life that help banish the blues Understand conventional, alternative, and experimental therapies Move on: avoid relapses and stay happy! Whatever your level of depression—occasional bouts or long-term—this book gives you the insight, the tools, and the inner strength and persistence to put enjoyment back in your life. Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents Introduction About This Book Foolish Assumptions Icons Used in This Book Beyond the Book Where to Go from Here Part 1 Discovering Depression and Preparing a Plan Chapter 1 Demystifying and Defeating Depression Just Singing the Blues or Depressed? The Varying Faces of Depression Young and depressed Depression in seniors Real men don’t get depressed, or do they? Women and depression Depression and diversity Adversity and depression Adding Up the Costs of Depression Financial costs of depression Previewing personal costs of depression Detailing depression’s physical toll Feeling Good Again Exploring cognitive therapy Trying behavior therapy Reinventing relationships Finding biological solutions Feeling Better Than Good Celebrating Sadness Chapter 2 Detecting Depression Recognizing the Ravages of Depression Dwelling on bleak thoughts Dragging your feet: Depressed behavior Reflecting upon relationships and depression Feeling funky: The physical signs of depression The Faces of Depression Can’t even get out of bed: Major depressive disorder Chronic, low-level depression: Persistent depressive disorder Premenstrual dysphoric disorder: Horrible hormones? Major depression after a bundle of joy Depressive disorders and drugs Depressive disorders and diseases Adjustment disorder with depressed mood: Dealing with adversity And all the rest Good Grief! Is Depression Ever Normal? Digging Out the Causes of Depression Monitoring Mood Chapter 3 When Bad Things Happen Loss and Depression During a Pandemic Losing connections Losing core freedoms Feeling insecure Coping during a pandemic Financial Stressors Emotional accounting Dollars and sense accounting Discrimination and Depression Defending against discrimination Living with discrimination Domestic Violence and Depression Disasters and Depression Chapter 4 Breaking Barriers to Change Flushing Out the Fear of Change Fearing more losses Fearing inconsistency Finding Change-Blocking Beliefs Dealing with dependency and inadequacy Uncovering an undeserving outlook Fighting the unfair fight Rejecting the victim role Tackling perfectionism Analyzing your findings Saving Yourself from Self-Limitations Tracking saboteurs Suspending judgment Going slow Appreciating how progress proceeds Rewriting your reams of failure stories Chapter 5 Finding Help for Depression Stumbling onto a Solution Pursuing the Psychotherapy Option The effective therapies Who’s who in psychotherapy Finding the right therapist for you Deciding whether your therapist is a good match Debunking myths about therapy Talking to a Professional about Antidepressant Medication Exploring the Self-Help Option Deciding whether self-help is a solution Reviewing the resources Part 2 Understanding and Accepting Thoughts and Feelings Chapter 6 Understanding the Thought/Feeling Connection Understanding Emotions Feelings emerge from your body Feelings sprout from your thoughts Feelings guide your behavior Interpreting Thoughts Distinguishing thoughts from feelings Emotions and thoughts: A two-way street Exploring Emotion-Driven Behavior Feelings are not facts Feelings drive avoidance Chapter 7 Defeating Distorted Thinking Recognizing Thought Distortions Meeting the reality scramblers Looking at reality scramblers in action Making Misjudgments Shoulding on yourself Critically comparing Labeling libelously Assigning blame to the wrong source Chapter 8 Rethinking Thoughts Lurking Behind Depression Building a Thought, Feeling, and Event Tracker Finding Adaptive Replacement Thoughts Tracking feelings and thoughts Checking the evidence Finding replacement thoughts Rating your replacement thoughts Rethinking from start to finish Opening a Thought-Repair Toolkit Giving your problem to a friend Putting time on your side Putting thoughts to the test Revisiting your all-or-none thinking Facing the worst Chapter 9 Accepting Thoughts and Feelings Avoiding Avoidance Drawing the Line Between You and Your Mind Losing Your Mind Thinking about negative thoughts as facts Thanking your mind! Playing with your mind’s thoughts Resisting what is Living anytime but now Living Mindfully Acquiring acceptance Accepting without judging Living as if no one will know Connecting with experience Chapter 10 Thinking the Worst: Suicide Warning Signs of Suicide in Adults Troubling symptoms in adults Risk factors in adults Recognizing Signs in Children and Teens Symptoms in children and teens Risk factors in children and teens Choosing Life and Getting Help Suicide hotlines Emergency departments Part 3 Taking Action Against Depression Chapter 11 Getting Out of Bed Taking Action I don’t feel motivated to do anything I’m too tired and depressed to do anything If I try, I’ll just fail I’m just a lazy person Putting One Foot in Front of the Other: Activity Logs Conquering Can’ts Reviewing your thoughts Testing the waters Charting Your Course through Negative Predictions Giving Yourself Credit Chapter 12 Working Out to Lift Depression Why Exercise? Mental health benefits: Endorphins Physical health benefits Conquering Couch Potato-itis Easing into Exercise Weighing Your Exercise Options Pumping iron Revving up your heart and lungs Yikes! Yoga? Chapter 13 Rediscovering Healthy Pleasures Taking Fun Seriously Striking the right balance Understanding the need for fun Making a List and Checking It Twice Fighting the Pleasure Busters Guilt busters Expecting the worst Chapter 14 Solving Life’s Headaches Drawing Up the Problem-Solving Game Plan — S.O.C.C.E.R. Assessing Your Problem Situation (S) Come up with a description of the problem Reflect on your feelings about the problem Consider the causes of the problem Search for information about the problem Consider the importance of the problem Check out solution-interfering beliefs Foraging for Options (O) Letting go Thinking visually Permitting playfulness Reviewing your options Contemplating Consequences (C) Choosing Your Plan (C) Consulting the friend within Choosing sides Handling Your Emotions (E) Holding the dress rehearsal Talking to yourself Running and Reviewing (R) Part 4 Rebuilding Connections Chapter 15 Working Through Loss, Grief, and Mourning Losing What You Care About Losing someone Transitioning through life Facing the challenges of isolation Breaking up is so hard to do Working Through Grief Reconstructing the relationship Rolling through roles Chapter 16 Relationship Enhancement The Depression-Rejection Connection Exaggerating the negative Looking for negative feedback Fighting off constructive criticism Pursuing Positives Giving compliments Doing nice things Planning positive times together Introducing nice into your everyday routine Defeating Defensiveness Trying the Checking It Out strategy Depersonalizing Getting Your Message Across Using the I Messages technique Creating buffers Defusing criticism Putting the techniques to work Part 5 Fighting the Physical Foe: Biological Therapies Chapter 17 Prescribing Pleasure Hammering Depression: Choosing the Right Tool Exploring the Medication Option Taking medication the right way Opting out of medication Working with Your Doctor to Find the Correct Medication The Seductive Myth of Chemical Imbalance Plunging into Placebos Drugs for Depression SSRIs Other neurotransmitter medications Tricyclics MAO inhibitors Looking Beyond Antidepressants Mood stabilizers More help for severe depression: Antipsychotics A few more for the road A brief word about ketamine Chapter 18 Hype, Help, or Hope? Alternative Treatments for Depression Keeping Your Doc in the Loop Exploring Supplements, Herbs, and Vitamins Happy Foods Lighting Up the Darkness Treating Severe Depression Shocking depression Stimulating nerves Magnetizing depression Searching Further Part 6 Looking Beyond Depression Chapter 19 Reducing the Risk of Relapse Risking Relapse with Depression Determining what’s going on Evaluating relapse rates Getting personal about your risks Preparing a Prevention Plan Sustaining success Monitoring the signs Using a fire drill Reaching for well-being Reining In Relapse When It Occurs Chapter 20 Mending Your Memory Making Sense of Memory Memory for now: Immediate memory Juggling items in memory: Working memory Memory for the long haul: Long-term memory Bringing back memories: Memory retrieval Depressing Disruptions on Your Memory Effects on immediate memory Effects on working memory Effects on long-term memory Effects on retrieval Worrying about Forgetting Boosting Broken Memory Inputting stuff Developing routines Smelling (and touching and seeing) the roses Remembering names Chunking Getting rid of distractions Following through Revving up recall Chapter 21 Pursuing Happiness The Elusiveness of Happiness Making the case for being happy Looking for happiness in all the wrong places Culture and happiness Language and happiness Getting on the Right Path to Real Happiness Feeling gratitude Helping others Finding flow Focusing on strengths Rejecting the quick fix Finding forgiveness Searching for meaning and purpose Part 7 The Part of Tens Chapter 22 Ten Ways Out of a Bad Mood Chomping on Chocolate Doing Something Nice Getting a Lift from Exercise Singing Yourself into a Better Mood Calling a Long-Lost Friend Dancing to a Different Beat Soaking the Blues Away Petting Your Way to a Better Mood Taking a Hike Mellowing Through Mindfulness Chapter 23 Ten Ways to Help Kids with Depression Finding Fun Doling Out Discipline Giving Feedback Climbing Every Mountain Revving Up Responsibilities Talking and Listening Recognizing Depression Looking Under Rocks Getting Help Loving No Matter What Chapter 24 Ten Ways to Help a Friend or Lover with Depression Recognizing Depression Referring for Help Listening Without Solving Taking Care of Yourself Holding Criticism at Bay Depersonalizing Depression Finding Patience Remembering to Care Providing Encouragement and Remaining Hopeful Exhorting Exercise Appendix Resources for You Index EULA "Do you want the good, the bad, or the best news first? OK, the bad news is that an estimated 264+ million people worldwide suffer from a depressive illness. The good news is that we know how to defeat these illnesses better than ever before using a growing range of highly effective psychotherapies, medications, and other therapeutic methods that are improving all the time. And the best news: because of these advances, the majority of people no longer need to suffer the debilitating--and sometimes dangerous--effects of long-term depressive illness. In this friendly, cheerful, no-nonsense guide, leading clinical psychologists Laura L. Smith and Charles H. Elliot give you the straight talk on what you face and proven, practical advice on how to punch back and win. Showing you how to know your enemy, they demystify common types of depression, explain its physical effects, and help identify the kind you have. Armed in this way, you can take firmer steps toward the lifestyle changes--as well as therapy or medication--that will put you back in control"-- Provided by publisher The bad news is that an estimated 264+ million people worldwide suffer from a depressive illness. The good news is that we know how to defeat these illnesses better than ever before using a growing range of highly effective psychotherapies, medications, and other therapeutic methods that are improving all the time. And the best news: because of these advances, the majority of people no longer need to suffer the debilitating and sometimes dangerous effects of long-term depressive illness. The new edition of Depression For Dummies shows how you can make this happen for you by providing the latest and best information on how to banish the noonday demon and bring the sunshine back into your world. In this friendly, cheerful, no-nonsense guide, clinical psychologists Laura L. Smith and Charles H. Elliot give you the straight talk on what you face and proven, practical advice on how to punch back and win