If you or someone you love suffers from depression, you know the truth: Amid competing claims and dangerous fallacies it has been virtually impossible to find and sort through reliable, authoritative information that tells you what you truly need to know–until now.

In Understanding Depression, one of the world’s foremost authorities on depression presents a thorough, accessible guide to its nature, causes, effects, and treatments. Dr. Raymond DePaulo of the prestigious Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine shows you how to find out if what you’re coping with is, in fact, depression. He then examines the full range of proven therapies, both mainstream and alternative, that are currently available.

Using insightful and dramatic case stories from his own patient files, Dr. DePaulo shows you how to recognize depression in all of its forms and guises. Clearly and concisely, he describes the causes of depression and the behaviors that are commonly associated with it. He also offers a detailed discussion of the symptoms and causes of bipolar disorder, something you won’t find in most other books on depression.

You’ll discover everything you need to know about every available treatment for depression and bipolar disorder, including:

• Traditional and cutting-edge medications
• Psychotherapy
• Support groups
• Exercise
• Alternative therapies

Understanding Depression brings you comprehensive, compassionate coverage, grounded in the very latest research in brain chemistry, psychology, and pharmacology. This user-friendly handbook is a truly indispensable resource for anyone who must deal directly or indirectly with the devastating effects of this common, frightening, and ultimately controllable condition.

A definitive book on depression defines the illness and laying out all the latest options, from cutting-edge drugs to alternative medicine to talk therapy to ECT.

"Understanding Depression gives coherent form to modern sciences confused wisdom about the illness, and does so in an accessible, intelligent way." —Andrew Solomon, author of the National Book Award winner, The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression

"I have been privileged to work and teach with Dr. DePaulo at Johns Hopkins for the past fifteen years. He is, without doubt, one of the best clinicians and clinical teachers I have ever known. His understanding of depression is deeply grounded in science, and his treatment approach is characterized by compassion, pragmatism, subtlety, and an obvious affection and respect for the many thousands of patients he has so effectively treated. None of us has a choice about becoming depressed. We do, however, have a choice about becoming informed about our illnesses. Understanding Depression is the best place to begin the process of becoming informed." & from the foreword by Kay Redfield Jamison, Ph.D., author of An Unquiet Mind and Touched with Fire

"Understanding Depression answers all the questions the layman wants the answers to. Its a book people will refer to time and time again. This book was needed, and J. Raymond DePaulo and Leslie Alan Horvitz have done us all a tremendous service." & Art Buchwald

"Whether you are a mental health professional, a person suffering from depression, or know someone who needs help, Understanding Depression is a one-stop, all-inclusive source that leaves no question unanswered. Hands down, its simply the best, most comprehensive book on depression Ive ever read. Dr. DePaulos book will become required reading for all my patients." & Joseph J. Luciani, Ph.D., author of Self-Coaching: How to Heal Anxiety and Depression

Acknowledgments.

Foreword.

Introduction.

Part One: Understanding Depression.

1 The Experience of Depression.

2 The Experience of Mania: Bipolar Disorder.

3 Who Is at Risk for Depression?

4 Recognizing Depression in All Its Forms and Guises.

5 Stressful Events: When People Get Depressed.

Part Two: Unraveling the Secrets.

6 What Do We Know About the Brain?

7 Genes and Depression: The Fateful Inheritance.

8 Hormones, Headaches, and Heart Attacks.

Part Three: Depression and Mania andDestructive Effects on the Whole Person.

9 Depression, Manic Depression, and Relationships.

10 Destructive Behavior.

11 Facing up to Suicide.

Part Four: Treatments for Depression.

12 Getting Help for Depression.

13 Making the Diagnosis Is the First Treatment.

14 Medical Treatment.

15 The Different Kinds of Drugs.

16 Psychotherapy: Treating the Person.

17 ECT, Light, and Other Medical Treatments.

18 Alternative Treatments.

19 Hospitalization: A Guide for Patients and Families.

20 Getting Back to Normal.

21 Going Forward.

Appendix A: Insurance.

Appendix B: Helpful Organizations.

Appendix C: Helpful Books.

Glossary.

Bibliography.

Index.