Depression currently affects more than 15% of the population overall, and it
is striking people at increasingly younger ages. Depression is all too familiar, yet this ...
MoreDepression currently affects more than 15% of the population overall, and it
is striking people at increasingly younger ages. Depression is all too familiar, yet this condition
remains shrouded in mystery, confusion, and fear. What is depression, exactly? How is it different from
sadness? It is said that depression is a “chemical imbalance,” but what does that really mean? Which
chemicals are involved, and how are they imbalanced? Why is it that just as more research and treatment
resources have been poured into combating depression, its personal and economic toll has actually grown?
What, then, is fueling the epidemic of depression? Is there anything that can be done to stop it? This
book cuts through the confusion to address the core of these and other matters. It offers a practical
research synthesis that bridges clinical science, clinical practice, and everyday life. Written in the
pithy, straightforward style of Oxford University Press’ W
hat E
veryone
N
eeds to K
now series, this book is the essential go-to guide both
for understanding what we know about the causes of depression and the depression epidemic and for
learning what to do about it; the book includes material on how to recognize depression in yourself, a
family member, or a friend and how to navigate life after depression. Written for all those who struggle
with depression, their loved ones, mental health professionals, and the wider public, this book offers
guidance for navigating the bewildering marketplace of treatment options and combatting the
misinformation and myths that still surround this condition.
Less
