Understanding Depression

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Since the publication of the first edition in 1993, there have been important developments in the public’s understanding of depression and in the various approaches to treating the disorder. This new edition reflects these new realities, giving increased emphasis to the biological foundations of depression, the development of and wide use of antidepressant drugs, the shift in the means of dispensing these drugs from mental health professionals to primary care physicians, and the development of alternative medicine approaches to treatment.Written in an easy-to-read manner, the book provides a wide-ranging picture of what is known about depressed moods and depression. This section examines the disorder’s demographic, biological, and psychological aspects, considers its antecedents in childhood experiences, evaluates the role of stress in bringing on depression, and looks at the disorder’s relation to alcohol and drug abuse. The latter part of the book is devoted to treatment, providing thorough discussions of antidepressant medicines, psychotherapy, and electroconvulsive therapy. It concludes with a discussion of the troublesome issue of recurrence, presenting some views about how to lessen this risk.