Depression Books

The following are books that we recommend because they are solution-focused using a cognitive-behavioral approach.  If you are interested in purchasing a book, click on the icon and you can obtain it through Amazon.com.

The Depression Workbook 2 Ed: A Guide for Living with Depression and Manic Depression
by Mary Ellen Copeland, Matthew McKay, Mary Liz Riddle

It may be difficult for those suffering from depression to add a little work into their day; simply getting out of bed can seem like plenty of work. But if you are newly diagnosed or experiencing moderate problems with depression or bipolar disorder, The Depression Workbook might be a literal lifesaver. The first section is especially useful to new patients just learning to navigate the signs, treatments, and vocabulary of depression. Clearly written overviews of specific symptoms are coupled with space for you to write in your own thoughts on treatment, prognosis, and your ultimate goals. Checklists and daily planners help to identify both areas of difficulty and positive experiences; later in the book, you'll find charts for tracking medications, diet, and doctor visits. A full section is devoted to the establishment and maintenance of a support group. Ideas range from open discussions with family members to seeking out volunteer work, and it's this section that may be the trickiest for the depressed to work through. Finding the strength to make new friends may seem impossible at first, but author Mary Ellen Copeland spreads plenty of warmth, encouragement, and personal experience among her directives.

 

The Feeling Good Handbook
by David D. Burns

Dr. David Burns is one of the prime developers of cognitive therapy, a fast-acting, drug-free treatment for designed to help the clinically depressed. In The Feeling Good Handbook, he adapts cognitive therapy to deal with the wide range of everyday problems that plague so many (chronic nervousness, panic attacks, phobias, and feelings of stress, guilt, or inferiority). The Feeling Good Handbook teaches how to remove the mental obstacles that bar you from success--from test anxiety and fear of public speaking to procrastination and self-doubt. Filled with charts, quizzes, weekly self-assessment tests, and a daily mood log, The Feeling Good Handbook actively engages its readers in their own recovery. With a new section on the latest prescription drugs for treating depression and anxiety disorders, The Feeling Good Handbook is an indispensable guide to help change thinking, control mood swings, deal with disasters, and feel better about yourself and those around you.

 

Feeling Good : The New Mood Therapy
by David D. Burns

The good news is that anxiety, guilt, pessimism, procrastination, low self-esteem, and other "black holes" of depression can be cured without drugs.In FEELING GOOD, eminent psychiatrist, David D. Burns, M.D., outlines the remarkable, scientifically proven techniques that will immediately lift your spirits and help you develop a positive outlook on life. Now, in this updated edition, Dr. Burns adds an ALL-NEW CONSUMER'S GUIDE TO ANTIDEPRESSANT DRUGS as well as a new introduction to help answer your questions about the many options available for treating depression.
- Recognize what causes your mood swings
- Nip negative feelings in the bud
- Deal with guilt
- Handle hostility and criticism
- Overcome addiction to love and approval
- Build self-esteem
- Feel good everyday
 

How to Stubbornly Refuse to Make Yourself Miserable About Anything--Yes, Anything
by Albert Ellis

 Dr. Ellis argues that not only are anger, anxiety and depression unnecessary, they are unethical--for when one allows emotional disturbances, he or she is being unfair and unjust to his/herself.  Dr. Ellis is a pioneer in the area of cognitive-behavioral therapy and has written many entertaining books that help people learn how to change irrational thinking that creates problems.  How to Stubbornly Refuse to Make Yourself Miserable About Anything, Yes, Anything! teaches a person how to challenge the depressive thinking style.

 

 

Mind Over Mood: Change How You Feel by Changing the Way You Think
by Dennis Greenberger, Christine Padesky

Patient manual designed to reinforce cognitive therapy by teaching clients how to set treatment goals, test automatic thoughts, and record thoughts and feelings. Workbook format.