Understanding Depression (Understanding Health and Sickness Series)
There are many books about depression, but in terms of clarity, comprehensiveness, and practicality, Ainsworth's is one of the best. She describes symptoms of the various types of the devastating disease, discusses the many theories of its cause, and deals in a nonproselytizing manner with the broad variety of treatments for it. She calls depression "the great illusionist" and says that, though difficult to diagnose, it must, when identified, be treated aggressively. She presents the ways depression affects its sufferers at different ages and women, in particular, at the various stages of their lives. She also considers the social context of the disease; like many other mental diseases, depression comes with a stigma that sets its sufferers apart from other people. Ainsworth's levelheaded approach should help many depressed persons decide to seek professional help, not least because she disposes of widely accepted myths, offers practical tips for self-care and helping someone else, and appends helpful material on the many drugs involved in treatment.William Beatty--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.