Synopses & Reviews
Depression can feel like a downward spiral, pulling you down into a vortex of sadness, fatigue, and apathy. Based in the latest research in neuroscience, this book offers dozens of little things you can do every day to rewire your brain and create an upward spiral towards a happier, healthier life.
Depression doesnt happen all at once. It starts gradually and builds momentum over time. If you go through a difficult experience, you may stop taking care of yourself. You may stop exercising and eating healthy, which will end up making you feel even worse as time goes on. You are caught in a downward spiral, but you may feel too tired, too overwhelmed, and too scared to try and pull yourself back up. The good news is that just one small step can be a step in the right direction.
In The Upward Spiral, neuroscientist Alex Korb demystifies the neurological processes in the brain that cause depression and offers effective ways to get betterone little step at a time. In the book, youll discover that there isnt one big solution” that will solve your depression. Instead, there are dozens of small, practical things you can do to alleviate your symptoms and start healing. Some are as simple as relaxing certain muscles to reduce feelings of anxiety, while others involve making small efforts toward more positive social interactions. Small steps in the right direction can have profound effectsgiving you the power to literally reshape” your brain.
Like most people, you probably didnt wake up one day and find yourself completely depressed. Instead, it probably happened over time, as a series of reactions to difficult situations and negative thinking. But if you are ready to reverse the trajectory of your depression and find lasting happiness, this book will show you how.
Review
Endorsement of First Edition: “This book is a lifesaver. This is one of the ‘must have’ books for anyone newly diagnosed with depression or manic depression. It is invaluable in teaching both sufferer and supporter the symptoms and coping skills. This book was monumental in helping me get through a severe depression that lasted nonstop for half a decade. I recommend this book to all my readers, and to anyone suffering with depression or bipolar disorders.”—Bob Olsen, author of the best-selling Win the Battle: The 3-Step Lifesaving Formula to Conquer Depression and Bipolar Disorder
Review
“The second edition of this eminently useful guide offers readers proven and active courses of action for getting and staying on the road to wellness. Mary Ellen Copeland is an author who thoroughly understands depression and manic depression, and the book’s effective techniques and clear organization illustrate her commitment to facilitating real healing. Once again, Copeland has produced one of the very best books on the subject."
—Lauren Dockett, author of The Deepest Blue: How Women Face and Overcome Depression
Review
Alex Korbs
The Upward Spiral is a masterful account of the neuroscience behind depression, as well as of concrete steps that will lead to an upward spiral out of depression. Korb explains neuroscience in a clear and accessible way, and shows how various brain malfunctions lead to different symptoms of depression.
Throughout the [book], Korb circles back to some of his own experiences, making his account all the more powerful and real. This book is a must-read for those who struggle with depression and want some guidance on how to understand and manage itas well as for therapists who want to learn more about the neuroscience of depression and its treatment.”
Elyn Saks, Orrin B. Evans Professor of law, psychology, psychiatry, and the behavioral sciences at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law, and author of The Center Cannot Hold
Synopsis
From best-selling author Mary Ellen Copeland comes the second edition of The Depression Workbook,which includes new, research-based self-help strategies for taking charge of depression and developing a wellness recovery action plan.
Synopsis
From the best-selling author, Mary Ellen Copeland, comes the Second Edition of The Depression Workbook. Learn to practice the latest research-based self-help strategies to relieve depression and address other mental health issues including how to:
- Take responsibility for your own wellness
- Use charts to track and control your moods
- Find helpful care providers
- Build a system of mutual support
- Increase self-confidence and self-esteem
- Use relaxation, diet, exercise, and light to stabilize your moods
- Avoid conditions that can worsen your symptoms.
A new chapter guides readers through developing your own plan for managing symptoms and staying well. This process, known as the Wellness Recovery Plan (WRAP), was developed by a group of people who experience depression, or manic depression and/or have other mental health concerns and who now report that this plan helped them relieve their symptoms and improve the quality of their lives.
This edition is updated in all areas including new medical and holistic perspectives and extensive lists of helpful resources and Web sites that will assist you in your journey to wellness. By letting you share more than a hundred case stories and empowering you with the most current therapeutic strategies, The Depression Workbook, Second Edition will give you insight, energy, and hope.
Synopsis
Depression can feel like a downward spiral, but its the little things that can add up to make a huge impact on recovery. In the breakthrough book, The Upward Spiral, neuroscientist Alex Korb demystifies the neurological processes in the brain that cause depression and offers readers small yet effective ways to ease their worst symptoms. Readers will discover there isnt one big solution” that will solve their depression. Instead, they will learn that there are dozens of tiny steps they can take every day to reshape their brain and create an upward spiral towards a happier, healthier life.
Synopsis
Depression can feel like a downward spiral, pulling you into a vortex of sadness, fatigue, and apathy. In The Upward Spiral, neuroscientist Alex Korb demystifies the intricate brain processes that cause depression and offers a practical and effective approach to getting better. Based on the latest research in neuroscience, this book provides dozens of straightforward tips you can do every day to rewire your brain and create an upward spiral towards a happier, healthier life.
Whether you suffer from depression or just want a better understanding of the brain, this book offers an engaging and informative look at the neuroscience behind our emotions, thoughts, and actions. The truth is that there isnt one big solution to depression, but there are numerous simple steps you can take to alter brain activity and chemistry. Some are as easy as relaxing certain muscles to reduce anxiety, or getting more sunlight to improve your mood. Small steps in the right direction can have profound effectsgiving you the power to become your best self as you literally reshape your brain, one small change at a time.
Synopsis
Want to be miserable? It isn’t as difficult as it sounds, and chances are, you’re already doing it! Studies show that repeating specific behaviors can actually increase feelings of dissatisfaction, foster a lack of motivation, and detract from your quality of life. In How to Be Miserable, psychologist Randy Paterson outlines 40 specific behaviors and habits, which—if followed—are sure to lead to a lifetime of unhappiness. On the other hand, if you do the opposite, you may yet join the ranks of happy people everywhere.
Synopsis
In How to Be Miserable, psychologist Randy Paterson outlines 40 specific behaviors and habits, which—if followed—are sure to lead to a lifetime of unhappiness. On the other hand, if you do the opposite, you may yet join the ranks of happy people everywhere!
There are stacks upon stacks of self-help books that will promise you love, happiness, and a fabulous life. But how can you pinpoint the exact behaviors that cause you to be miserable in the first place? Sometimes when we’re depressed, or just sad or unhappy, our instincts tell us to do the opposite of what we should—such as focusing on the negative, dwelling on what we can’t change, isolating ourselves from friends and loved ones, eating junk food, or overindulging in alcohol. Sound familiar?
This tongue-in-cheek guide will help you identify the behaviors that make you unhappy and discover how you—and only you—are holding yourself back from a life of contentment. You’ll learn to spot the tried-and-true traps that increase feelings of dissatisfaction, foster a lack of motivation, and detract from our quality of life—as well as ways to avoid them.
So, get ready to live the life you want (or not?) This fun, irreverent guide will light the way.
About the Author
Alex Korb, PhD, is a neuroscientist who has studied the brain for over fifteen years, starting with an undergraduate degree in neuroscience from Brown University. He received his PhD in neuroscience from the University of California, Los Angeles, where he wrote his dissertation and numerous scientific articles on depression. He is currently a postdoctoral neuroscience researcher at UCLA in the department of psychiatry. Outside of the lab, he is a scientific consultant for the biotech and pharmaceutical industry, and is head coach of the UCLA Women's Ultimate Frisbee team. He has a wealth of experience in yoga and mindfulness, physical fitness, and even stand-up comedy.Daniel J. Siegel, MD, is executive director of the Mindsight Institute and associate clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine. He is author of The Developing Mind, The Mindful Brain, and other books, and founding editor of the Norton Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology.