About the Book

Depression is afflicting the population in epidemic proportion and impairing the quality of life of millions. The entire book is structured intelligently to make the matter readable, useful and interesting. It initially describes the causes, the various types, features of depression and how it grips its victims. It then presents valuable information about tried and tested tools for combating depression elaborating on various modalities of treatment that are available and the ways in which therapies help in gaining control over the disorder. This book instils hope, the pathfinder, in the possibility of successfully overcoming depression. The book will be valuable to lay readers, healers and the caregivers.

About Author

Dr. Mrs Andal Narayanan, an alumnus of the Queen Mary's College, Chennai and PhD from the University of Bombay, acquired an MS in Psychotherapy and Counseling from the Institute of Counseling and Management Studies, Mumbai. Having an extensive experience as a practising consultant in counselling, she could acquire the skills and knowledge to treat her patients fairly successfully and bring out more than four books on varied interdisciplinary subjects like Communication theories, the role of interpersonal communication in the treatment of mental health disorders etc. She has had extensive exposure to seminars and workshops on communication studies.

Contents

Foreword                                                                                                          vii

Acknowledgements                                                                                          ix

Introduction

I.     Echoes of Depression

• What is Depression?
• Depression through the Ages
• Depressive Thoughts
• Major Depression
• Well Being and Good Health
• Adolescence Depression
• Teenage Depression
• Childhood Depression and Family Functioning
• Depression Based on Family History
• Depression Based on Age

II.    Symptoms of Depression

• Symptoms in Women
• Symptoms in General
• Symptoms in Adolescence Depression
• Symptoms in Teenage Depression
• Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder Depression
• Insomnia
• Symptoms in Children’s Depression
• Symptoms in Elderly People
• The World of Blame
• Why Me?
• Depression—Its Friends and Foes

III.  Causes for Depression

• Psychological Factors
• Physical Factors
• Social Factors
• Early Experience in Childhood
• Life Experience
• Depression that Starts from Events
• Depression that Comes from Within
• Evolution and Depression
• Factors that are Co-Related with Depression
• Chemical Imbalances in the Body and Depression
• Traumatic Stress and Depression
• Negative Thoughts and Depression
• Advanced Technology of the Modern World

IV.  Faces of Depression

• Major Depressive Disorder or Unipolar Depression—Clinical Depression
• Adjustment Depression Disorder (ADD)
• Postpartum Depression (PPD)
• Seasonal Affective Disorder—Phototherapy (SAD)
• Atypical Depression
• Bipolar Depression
• Catatonic Depression
• Schizo Affective Depression
• Dysthymic Depression
• Double Depression
• Anxiety Depression
• Melancholic Depression
• Psychotic Depression
• Teen Depression
• Endogenous Depression
• Minor Depression

Part-A
Psychotherapy and the Quest of Happiness

General Treatment

• Bridging the Gap of Depression
• Barriers to Treatment

General Information about Treatment

Hope from Alternative Treatment for Depression

Lifestyle Modifications/Changes

You are not Alone

Counseling

• Depression Counseling can be the Source of Much Hope
• Interpersonal Communication
• Counseling and Counselor
• What is Counseling
• Need for Counseling

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

• Positive Imagery
• Using Time Projection
• Doing Mental Rehearsals

Psychotherapy

• Perceived by Different Authors
• Freud: Father of Modern Psychotherapy
• Goals and Objectives of Psychotherapy
• Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Process
• Interpersonal Therapy
• Logotherapy

Hypnotherapy

• Ericksonian Hypnotherapy
• Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy

Hope Therapy (HT)

• Hope in Depression

Treatment for Depressive Thinking

• Worthlessness Thinking
• Treatment for Worthlessness
• Helplessness Feelings
• Hopeless Thinking and Optimism

Dealing with Emotional Stress Depression

• What is Stress?
• Anxiety and Depression
• Panic and Depression
• Trauma and Depression
• Anger and Depression
• Guilt and Depression

Part-B
Designing and Planning for Positives

Defeating Some Kinds of Depression

• Change Negative Attitude to Positive Attitude
• Gearing Positive Thoughts
• A Five-Phase Process to Defeat Depression
• Awareness
• Action
• Accommodation
• Acceptance
• Actualisation
• Coping with Depressive Sensation
• Fighting with Depression
• Plan to Defeat Depression

Medications (Anti-Depressants)

Electro Convulsive Therapy (ECT)

Yoga Therapy (YT)

Some Simple Therapies Help to Reduce Depression

• Laughter Therapy (LT)
• Music Therapy (MT)
• Self-Help
• Bibliotherapy
• Living with Depression
• A Healing Heart and Mind

Penury and Depression

Helping One to Come Out of the Quicksand

St. John’s Wort Therapy

Some Chronic Diseases and Depression

• Depression as a Symptom of Physical Illness
• Backpain and Depression
• Heart Disease and Depression
• Signs and Symptoms of Depression
• Osteoporosis and Depression
• Stroke and Depression
• Vascular Depression

Prevalence of Depression

• Clinical Assessment
• Differential Diagnosis
• Prevention
• Can Late Life Depression be Prevented?
• Management

Epilogue

  I:   How to Conduct Counseling

II:   Verbatim Report

III:  Strategic Treatment Plan

Glossary

Bibliography

Index

Additional Info.