The recently published study questioning the efficacy of antidepressants has produced some fascinating reactions on other blogs.
The recently published study questioning the efficacy of antidepressants has produced some fascinating reactions on other blogs. One of the most striking was from The Last Psychiatrist who argues that the study’s timing is no accident. Apparently it’s all part of Big Pharma’s plan to kick-start the prescription of their new drugs:
Continue reading “Strong Reactions to ‘Antidepressants Ineffective’ Study”
How to find the self-help book for depression that suits you and your needs.
How to find the self-help book for depression that suits you and your needs.
There are many, many self-help books for depression around these days.
My own book is called Activate: How To Find Joy Again By Changing What You Do.
It is based on Behavioural Activation Therapy, which is often used by mental health professionals.
Many studies have found that it helps alleviate depression in cases of mild through moderate and even severe depression.
It is easier to grasp and quicker to implement than its close cousin, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
This type of therapy is all about action.
It is all about how to tweak your daily activities to improve how you feel.
By the end, you should have a list of relatively small everyday changes to your routines that will help you feel a little better about life.
It is particularly good for people who do not get on with cognitive therapy and find it difficult to analyse thoughts.
This book will:
Find out more about Activate: How To Find Joy Again By Changing What You Do.
If you would like to try an older and more complex approach to depression, then one study has found six books that were recommended by experts, although only one book had evidence for its effectiveness.
1. Feeling Good
This self-help book for depression has been evaluated in a number of randomised controlled trials, although small ones (Anderson et al., 2005).
The book itself is rooted in cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), currently one of the most successful methods psychologists have for treating depression.
Broadly speaking, CBT tries to identify problematic thought processes, then uses mental activities designed to modify them.
Six studies have evaluated the use of this book in treating mild depression and overall they have showed it can be an effective treatment.
2. Control Your Depression
Like ‘Feeling Good’, this book is also based on cognitive-behavioural therapy.
It has been evaluated in two studies, but neither of these found strong evidence for its effectiveness.
This doesn’t necessarily mean the book isn’t useful, just that these studies failed to find an effect.
The fact that it has been used in these two studies, however, underlines the fact that experienced clinicians believe it can be beneficial.
3. Mind Over Mood
While this book hasn’t been evaluated in any randomised controlled trials, it is frequently recommended by experienced clinicians.
Like the two previous books it is also based on cognitive-behavioural therapy and contains a large number of exercises and worksheets (cognitive-behavioural therapists love to dole out homework!)
4. Overcoming Depression and Low Mood: A Five Areas Approach
Again, this one also uses a cognitive-behavioural approach and is also frequently recommended by clinicians, although studies have yet to be carried out into its effectiveness.
5. Climbing out of Depression
Unlike the previous four books, this one isn’t based around CBT. Instead it uses a psychodynamic approach.
This focuses on understanding, reflection and contemplation.
Again there’s currently no evidence from randomised controlled trials, but this book is recommended by organisations like the Mental Health Foundation, MIND and the Depression Alliance.
6. Depression: The Way Out of Your Prison
This book falls into the same category as ‘Climbing out of Depression’, it is based on a psychodynamic approach, hasn’t been formally evaluated but is recommended by depression organisations.
One of the main questions when choosing a self-help book is the psychological theory on which it is based.
The six books recommended here fall into two categories: CBT and psychodynamic.
Some people prefer the hands-on practical activities used in CBT, others prefer the more reflective techniques used in the psychodynamic approach.
Of course, there are books using many other types of approaches to depression, but CBT and the psychodynamic approach are two theories which have a large evidence base for their effectiveness in conventional face-to-face psychotherapy.
Bear in mind that studies on bibliotherapy are at an early stage. The ones that exist have only examined a few of the books available, and generally these books are only for mild depression.
The study was published in the British Journal of General Practice (Anderson et al., 2005)
Image credit: jillhudgins
Materialism is a dirty word. It also gets a bad rap in psychology.
Materialism is a dirty word. It also gets a bad rap in psychology. Studies consistently show that people who agree with statements like “You will buy things just because you want them,” tend to be:
Not a pretty picture, right?
Continue reading “Experiences Beat Possessions: Why Materialism Causes Unhappiness”
The gigantic annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience is currently drawing to a close in San Diego, California.
The gigantic annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience is currently drawing to a close in San Diego, California with a reported 30,000+ neuroscientists in attendance. One study catching the eye of Scientific American reporters is from researchers at Alzahra University in Tehran:
…a group of researchers, noting that music therapy has already been shown to reduce pain, improve sleep quality, and improve mood in cancer patients undergoing therapy and multiple sclerosis patients, wondered if music might alleviate depression as well. It does. They took 56 depressed subjects, had them listen to Beethoven’s 3d and 5th piano sonatas for 15 minutes twice a week in a clean, otherwise quiet room — and saw their depression scores on the standard Beck Depression Scale go up significantly. [I’m sure he means down – otherwise their depression is worsening!]
Continue reading “Depression Lifted by Beethoven Piano Sonatas”
Did you know that today is the United Nations’ official ‘psychology day’? No, neither did I until just now.
Did you know that today is the United Nations’ official ‘psychology day’? No, neither did I until just now. According to the official press release this event is all about making UN officials aware of what psychologists have to offer. Two panels will discuss psychology in relation ‘Peace and Conflict Resolution’ and ‘Human Rights and the World of Work’.
Update: Oh, and I see it’s World Mental Health Day as well (via Providentia and Mad World).
The mainstream media are reporting that the side on which mothers cradle their babies may be linked to maternal depression.
The mainstream media are reporting that the side on which mothers cradle their babies may be linked to maternal depression (Foxnews, The Telegraph). First, there’s the background to the story and second I explain why this study has been misrepresented. The Guardian writes:
“New mothers who cradle their infants on the right side of their body may be displaying signs of “extreme stress”. The findings build on previous research showing that most mothers prefer to hold their baby to their left, regardless of whether they are left- or right-handed.
The study suggests there is a correlation between the minority who hold a baby on the right and a greater likelihood that they are experiencing stress beyond the levels natural in new parents.”
Continue reading “Cradling to Right Linked to Depression in New Mothers – Or is it?”
The modern Western mindset has it that depression is an abnormal state. That when you’re a bit down, it means you have a medical problem that requires treatment.
The modern Western mindset has it that depression is an abnormal state. That when you’re a bit down, it means you have a medical problem that requires treatment. Of course, this isn’t necessarily true. While depression is clearly a major problem for many people that does require treatment of some type, do we all need to be treated every time we are down? More than this, though, if we become depressed, should we consider ourselves in some way abnormal?
How cognitive therapy works.
It seems incredible that a successful form of psychological therapy could be based on telling people their thoughts are mistaken. And yet that is partly how cognitive therapy works.
This type of therapy has easily overtaking Freudian-style psychotherapy in recent decades to become the most popular form of treatment for depression, phobias and many other common psychological problems. The founding father of cognitive therapy is Aaron T. Beck a psychologist not well known to the lay public, but widely revered amongst psychologists. One of his studies is the third nomination for the Top Ten Psychology Studies.
Cognitive therapy was originally developed for the treatment of depression. In his work with patients Beck developed the idea that at the heart of depression lay one or more irrational beliefs (Beck, 1963). Here are a few examples:
These irrational beliefs took the form of ‘automatic thoughts’ which seemed to be accessible to conscious introspection. Beck thought depressed patients could be helped if therapists could challenge these irrational beliefs. At heart cognitive therapy encourages people to see that some of their thoughts are mistaken. By adjusting these thoughts it has been found that people’s emotional distress can be lessened.
For many people he treated, and for the many more subsequently treated with his – and related techniques – his methods have turned out to be remarkably effective. It’s no exaggeration to state that the ideas and techniques that have flowed from Beck’s study and similar findings brought about a revolution in treatment for many psychological disorders.
Find out more about depressive thinking styles.
Image credit: kygp
At a Royal Institution lecture last night on the worst ideas on the mind there were some polite, but nevertheless underhand, tactics on show in an attempt to sway the vote towards one of four ideas. The ideas were lobotomy, drug company advertising, post-trauma counselling and the Freudian theory of hysteria.
Each speaker had ten minutes to convince us that their idea was the worst idea anyone had ever had on the mind. Ultimately, simple disgust won over the audience and lobotomy took the title.
Most people have experienced depression for at least a short period of time, perhaps as the result of an event or confluence of events. For others, though, depression will not dissipate with time, imprisoning the mind for a lifetime.
The causes of depression are many and varied. Occasionally the reasons are there for all to see: a loved one has died, for example, or a job has been lost or an important relationship has broken up. More often the cause is mysterious to the casual observer because it is not events that necessarily cause depression, it is the way in which we interpret events.
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