Depression: Depression & Related Conditions

google bookmarks

bit.ly (url-shortening) sidebar

Resources

Basic Information

Introduction and Types of Depressive DisordersRelated Disorders / ConditionsHistorical and Current UnderstandingsBiology, Psychology and SociologyTreatment - Medication and PsychotherapyAlternative Medicine and Self-Help ResourcesSpecial IssuesReferences

More InformationTestsLatest NewsQuestions and AnswersVideosLinksBook Reviews

A Heart of StoneA Mood ApartA Philosophical DiseaseActive Treatment of DepressionAdolescent DepressionAgainst DepressionAmerican MelancholyAn Unquiet MindBeating the BluesBefore ProzacBeyond BlueBlaming the BrainCalm EnergyConquering Postpartum DepressionConquering the Beast WithinCry Depression, Celebrate RecoveryDamageDepressionDepressionDepression 101Depression Doesn't Always Have to Be DepressingDepression FalloutDepression in ContextDepression Is a ChoiceDepression, the Mood DiseaseDepression-Free for LifeDoctors of DeceptionDown Came the RainDysthymia and the Spectrum of Chronic DepressionsEmotional ClaustrophobiaEssential Psychopharmacology of Depression and Bipolar DisorderEverything Is FineExperiences of DepressionHandbook of DepressionHandbook of DepressionHistory of SuicideHow I Stayed Alive When My Brain Was Trying to Kill MeIn Pursuit of HappinessJourneys with the Black DogKilling the Black DogLifeForce Yoga to Beat the Blues--Level 1LifeForce Yoga to Beat the Blues: Level 2Lifting DepressionLincoln's MelancholyLucy Sullivan Is Getting MarriedMalignant SadnessManufacturing DepressionMindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for DepressionMood GenesMy DepressionNatural Healing for DepressionNew Hope for People with DepressionOn DepressionOn the Edge of DarknessOrdinarily WellOut of the BlueOutsmarting DepressionOvercoming DepressionPotatoes Not ProzacProzac and the New AntidepressantsProzac BacklashProzac DiaryProzac NationPuppy Chow Is Better Than ProzacQuiet Your Mind & Get to SleepRaising a Moody ChildReasons to Stay AliveSelf-CoachingSongs from the Black ChairSpeaking of SadnessSpontaneous HappinessStudent DepressionSubordination and DefeatSunbathing in the RainSwing LowTalking Back to ProzacThe American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Mood DisordersThe Anatomy of MelancholyThe Anti-Depressant Fact BookThe Antidepressant EraThe BeastThe Bell JarThe Breakthrough Depression SolutionThe CorrectionsThe Cruelty of DepressionThe Depressed ChildThe Depression CureThe Devil WithinThe Emotional RevolutionThe Family SilverThe Feeling Good HandbookThe Mood CureThe Nature of MelancholyThe Noonday DemonThe Postpartum EffectThe Secret Strength of DepressionThe Van Gogh BluesThe Van Gogh BluesThis Close to HappyUndercurrentsUnderstanding DepressionUndoing DepressionUnholy GhostUnstuckViniyoga Therapy for DepressionWhat the Birds SeeWhen a Parent is DepressedWhen Nothing Matters AnymoreWhen Words Are Not EnoughWhy Are You So Sad?Writing Through the Darkness

Related Topics

Anxiety Disorders
Bipolar Disorder
Suicide
Addictions: Alcohol and Substance Abuse
Pain Management

My Depression

by Elizabeth Swados
Hyperion, 2005
Review by Christian Perring, Ph.D. on Jun 16th 2005

In My Depression, Elizabeth Swados explains what it is like for her to be depressed. She gets depressed on a regular basis, and while when she is well she is highly creative and productive, when depression strikes, she becomes reclusive, self-critical, and negative about life. Her mother and brother also suffered from mental illness, and killed themselves (Swados has previously published a memoir about her family: The Four of Us: The Story of a Family). Swados admits that for many years she resisted getting conventional medical treatment for her depression, and instead tired all sorts of alternative therapies and activities that didn't help much. She also finds, once she does start psychotherapy and medication, that is has limited success and does not always keep depression at bay. She tries different ways to cope with her illness and hopes that she will survive.

The famous names who wrote blurbs for the book give it high praise -- Gloria Steinem, Garry Trudeau, Jimmy Breslin and Jane Pauley. So far, the first 3 reader reviews on Amazon.com also give it high praise. Maybe Swados's book would be helpful to people with depression who could benefit from learning about other people's experience of depression, so they know that they are not alone. Swados goes into some detail about her life and her drawings are evocative, so readers unfamiliar with the basics of depression may found her book a helpful resource. It does give a clear sense of how disabling and awful it is to have depression.

However, the most obvious fact about Swados' drawings is that they are very crude. It is hard to see what benefit there is in using such badly-drawn pictures, and why the publisher did not commission a more talented artist to do the drawing. Some of the images are charming because they have some fun details -- people wearing funny T-shirts, or with a silly expression on their face, for example -- but most of them just look amateurish. I'm not sure who would want to own such a book; maybe someone with a quirky personality would appreciate it. But I would think twice before buying the book for a friend.

© 2005 Christian Perring. All rights reserved.

Link: Author web site

Christian Perring, Ph.D., is Academic Chair of the Arts & Humanities Division and Chair of the Philosophy Department at Dowling College, Long Island. He is also editor of Metapsychology Online Review. His main research is on philosophical issues in medicine, psychiatry and psychology.

Share:

google bookmarks

bit.ly (url-shortening) sidebar

Link: (Here's how to do it ... )

Children and Adult services are available now with no wait time.

Please contact HBH at 860-548-0101, option 2.