Rethinking Depression

In a thought-provoking volume, the author critiques how the human condition has been monetized into the disease of depression and related “disorders” and offers a powerful new approach that updates the best ideas of modern psychology. Original.

This book reviews all aspects of major depressive disorder (MDD), casting light on its neurobiological underpinnings and describing the most recent advances in management. The book is divided into four sections, the first of which discusses MDD from a network science perspective, highlighting the alterations in functional and structural connectivity and presenting insights achieved through resting state functional MRI and the development of neuroimaging-based biomarkers. The second section examines important diagnostic and neurobiological issues, while the third considers the currently available specific treatments for MDD, including biofeedback, neurofeedback, cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, neuromodulation therapy, psychodynamic therapy, and complementary and alternative medicine. A concluding section is devoted to promising emerging treatments, from novel psychopharmacological therapies through to virtual reality treatment, immunotherapy, biomarker-guided tailored therapy, and more. Written by leading experts from across the world, the book will be an excellent source of information for both researchers and practitioners.

Diagnoses of depressive and bipolar disorders have reached epidemic proportions. The current psychiatric theories, approaches, and suggested remedies have together failed to resolve these human struggles despite technological advances and continued claims of validity and reliability. In fact, since its introduction in the early 1960s, the current humanistic paradigm has worsened both individuals and society as a whole. Suicidal ideation and completions are also rapidly increasing within the church and even among church leadership. There clearly exists an urgent need to rethink the widespread human struggle known today as depression. In this book, Dr. Berger proposes from both Scripture and scientific evidence that the root of our mental struggles lies in our metaphysical souls rather than in our physical bodies. As the reader will discover, the solution is not to endlessly invent new theories and alleged physical remedies that inevitably fail, but to return to understanding humanity's true nature as God declares it to be from the beginning of time. Only by realizing and accepting this important perspective does our own human fragility and depravity begin to make sense. At the same time, this is not a book that suggests that those who struggle should simply pray and read their Bible more and that all of their problems will vanish. Rather, the book offers proven and practical answers to important questions.Rethinking Depression invites the Christian who seeks answers and desires to help others struggling or diagnosed within the psychiatric system to re-examine the current ways of understanding and treating depression and to consider the gracious perspective that in all of our mental suffering, sorrow, and hopelessness-no matter how severe, we are not abnormal or different from one another at our core. In truth, what we all desperately need is sure hope and genuine healing for our souls that is only found in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

As both an academic and professional psychologist, my background is somewhat unique. Most psychologists either opt for the research route, where they study human behavior in the hope of generating insightful theories, or they choose to work clinically with clients and patients. The problems with these distinct pathways should seem appar ent. In their academic role, research psychologists study and gener ate numerous theories about people, both as individualsandas social beings. However, while their conclusions may provide the basis for therapeutic work, research psychologists are not clinicians. Con versely, clinical psychologists and other therapists are trained princi pally to work with clients and patients. While many clinicians carry out research projects, their time is mostly spent offering professional help to people. Although both roles serve to advance the science and practice of psychology, researchers in their ivory towers may find their abstract theories and conclusions are inapplicable in the "real world," whereas therapists might discover they work within pre scribed treatment frameworks without questioning the limits of these approaches. Because of my two professional roles, I have aimed to bridge this gap. Here, I have combined my experiences of researching and treat ing depression with the intentions of improving treatments and of encouraging better communication between the two psychologies. Kristina Downing-Orr Oxford, England V Acknowledgments Many people provided the inspiration for this book, and I will be etemally grateful for all their assistance.

The worldwide Great Depression of the 1930s was the most traumatic event of the twentieth century. It ushered in substantial expansions in the role of governments around the world, focused attention on social insurance, and for a time bolstered socialist economic ideas as a form of cure. Skepticism about the effectiveness of government withered as the free market failed, and it seems safe to say that Keynesian economics would not have flourished if the depression had not occurred. While this severe contraction has been extensively examined, we are just now—thanks to increasingly sophisticated analytical techniques—beginning to comprehend its causes and the reasons for the extremely slow recovery that occurred in the United States. Much of this analysis, though, remains in specialized studies that are visited mainly by economists and economic historians. In Rethinking the Great Depression, Gene Smiley draws upon this recent scholarship to present a clear and nontechnical analysis for the general reader. He explains the roots of the depression in the 1920s, the efforts of the New Deal to combat the economic crisis, and the legacy of these efforts in World War II and the postwar years. He offers new insights and some surprising conclusions: that the causes of the Great Depression lay in the dislocations caused by World War I and the attempt to reconstitute an international gold standard in the 1920s; that the New Deal, regardless of its good intentions, adopted misguided fiscal and monetary policies that prolonged the depression in the United States beyond what it should have been; that World War II, rather than stimulating an end to the depression, actually postponed a full recovery until 1946.

Based on the highly effective, proven Therapeutic Lifestyle Change (TLC) program: a practical plan for natural ways to treat depression -- without medication In the past decade, depression rates have skyrocketed, and one in four Americans suffer from major depression at some point in their lives. Where have we gone wrong? Dr. Stephen Ilardi sheds light on our current predicament and reminds us that our bodies were never designed for the sleep-deprived, poorly nourished, frenzied pace of twenty-first century life. Inspired by the extraordinary resilience of aboriginal groups like the Kaluli of Papua New Guinea, Dr. Ilardi prescribes an easy-to-follow, clinically proven program that harks back to what our bodies were originally made for and what they continue to need with these six components: Brain Food Don't Think, Do Antidepressant Exercise Let There Be Light Get Connected Habits of Healthy Sleep The Depression Cure's holistic approach has been met with great success rates, helping even those who have failed to respond to traditional medications. For anyone looking to supplement their treatment, The Depression Cure offers hope and a practical path to wellness for anyone.

In Abolishing the Concept of Mental Illness: Rethinking the Nature of Our Woes, Richard Hallam takes aim at the very concept of mental illness, and explores new ways of thinking about and responding to psychological distress. Though the concept of mental illness has infiltrated everyday language, academic research, and public policy-making, there is very little evidence that woes are caused by somatic dysfunction. This timely book rebuts arguments put forward to defend the illness myth and traces historical sources of the mind/body debate. The author presents a balanced overview of the past utility and current disadvantages of employing a medical illness metaphor against the backdrop of current UK clinical practice. Insightful and easy to read, Abolishing the Concept of Mental Illness will appeal to all professionals and academics working in clinical psychology, as well as psychotherapists and other mental health practitioners.

"Deeply felt... [Kramer's] book is a polemic against a society that accepts depression as a fact of life." —O, The Oprah Magazine A profound look at depression by the author of The New York Times Bestseller, Listening to Prozac In his landmark bestseller Listening to Prozac, Peter Kramer revolutionized the way we think about antidepressants and the culture in which they are so widely used. Now Kramer offers a frank and unflinching look at the condition those medications treat: depression. Definitively refuting our notions of "heroic melancholy," he walks readers through groundbreaking new research—studies that confirm depression's status as a devastating disease and suggest pathways toward resilience. Thought-provoking and enlightening, Against Depression provides a bold revision of our understanding of mood disorder and promises hope to the millions who suffer from it.