Living with Depression: Why Biology and Biography Matter along the Path to Hope and Healing
"Serani courageously reveals her own lifetime struggleswith serious depression - and devastating thoughts of suicide. The book has nowhere to go but up from there, and it delivers - with details about her own depression and treatment woven into a useful primer geared to the suffering and their families." -- Newsday"Living with Depression" offers the kind of insight and perspective that only can come from a professional who has gone through the same battles as the patients she treats. Savor that first chapter, because it's one of the best in the book.--- John Grohol, Psy.D. CEO of PsychCentralSerani offers a guide book with a soul. She clearly writes of the trials of major depression and the promise of science. She does so as a gutsy clinical psychologist who shares the wisdom made from her suffering, not just her training. She rarely shrank from the challenges of mental illness however they appeared, which will serve as an inspiration to most readers. Her comments on the roadblocks of stigma remind us that the pain of depression and most mental illness arise not solely from the illness, but from the harsh response society has to people with these disorders...--Patrick  Corrigan, Psy.D. - Distinguished Professor and Associate Dean for  Research in the Institute of Psychology at the Illinois Institute of  TechnologyAs someone who has lost a loved one to suicide, I know the accompanying journey of depression and hopelessness well. I also know the fear of sharing that journey with others. Deborah Serani courageously shares her path of despair to hope and healing with the intent of helping others from what she has learned and experienced. She also does it to continue to break the stigma that needlessly surrounds mental illness. In Living with Depression, she succeeds with her messages of hope. May this book reach the far corners of both people who suffer from mental illness and those who need to understand it.---Dr.Michelle  Linn-Gust, Ph.D. -President, American Association of Suicidology &  Author of Rocky Roads: The Journeys of Families through Suicide GriefI found Living with Depression to be not only fascinating but, since the author suffers from depression herself, also compassionate, understanding and informative. Bravo!---Jessie CloseSometimes, with the best of intentions and efforts, psychological professionals can't get across essential information to their patients. Living with Depression bridges that gap in communication. I wish this book had been around when I first began to deal with depression-and I will still use it as a guidebook in the future. Patients can benefit from the doctor's perspective and doctors can learn from their patients. That both are the same gifted author is a blessing to all who deal with mental illness.---Delta Burke, actressNew York psychologist Serani helps patients understand their depression by first understanding what depression is, and then how to navigate the complex system of seeking effective treatment. In the first chapter, Serani shares her own experience with debilitating depression with hopes that her experience 'will serve as an encouraging reminder that depression can be treated.' As she moves into the more scientific sections of the book, she uses examples from her personal and professional experiences to provide more rounded explanations. She understands and acknowledges the reserves people have about using medication and consciously addresses the different treatments with that in mind. The aim of this book is to help patients come to terms with the diagnosis and the attendant stigma attached....Much of the focus is on being proactive and utilizing available resources.--Publishers WeeklyPsychologist Serani shares her own experience and related research in an effort to help all those suffering from depression to understand the disease and negotiate the labyrinth of health-care options and stigma attached to depression. She advocates knowing one's triggers, avoiding toxic people, staying connected with support systems, and making a plan to thwart suicide attempts. Serani offers validity and help to those who suffer from mood disorders but feel ashamed or don't know where to turn for help. This is a valuable resource with the potential to save lives.---Library Journal