14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Empathy, support, guidance., October 20, 1998
By A Customer
An easily understandable, comforting type of help for depression sufferers appears in this book by therapist and author Dorothy Rowe. Rowe, who can seemingly read minds, speaks to the reader much as an observant parent might, providing support, and even scoldings. The technical content of the book is minimized however, so those seeking a biochemical or genetic analysis must go to another. The author may have feared that some readers would come to view depression as a purely chemical problem, and therefore beyond one's own control. Depression described as a biochemical imbalance would also suggest chemical solutions, which the author personally dislikes.
As with other books, symptoms are described for readers to make an initial self-diagnosis for depression. So many books list these only using uncommunicative terms such as "difficulty making decisions", "worrying", "loss of interest", "poor memory" which one will have difficulty recognizing as one's own problems when in an inobservant frame of mind. Rowe however, also gives specific, personable descriptions of thoughts and behaviour obtained from therapy sessions with sufferers. Among the pages the depressed reader will surely see some of the very same preoccupations and habits which he/she suffers and be alerted. Besides the relief to readers who thus learn that others share their own embarassing difficulties, treatment is facilitated when one is aware of resistive thoughts and actions.
The book is probably most useful as a first book for those deciding whether to pursue therapy or whether to make life changes. This is because the book attempts to demonstrate that therapists are aware of the problems which sufferers experience and that depression is well studied. Though recommendations are made for those who wish to change their mental states, these are not particularly structured. It is likely that a therapist will be necessary to assist with setting of objectives and methods of achieving these.
Expect to pick up and put down the book frequently due to its long sections and paragraphs, which can be fatiguing. Furthermore, the subject of each chapter is very broad and it may be difficult to identify the main points of each. Among the pages are quotes and literary allusions which will be pleasant for the well read.
This reviewer is a sufferer himself, and wishes readers well, whatever paths they may choose. His thoughts are with you.
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25 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I came out of my depression through reading this book., April 9, 1999
By A Customer
It was only from reading this book that I was able to understand my depressive state and believe me I had severe depression. Depression is not some chemicle imbalance. If I had of believed that then I would still be suffering from depression as all the anti-depressants that I had used not only didn't work but in some cases made me feel much worse since I suffered from side effects. What Dorothy Rowe wants people to understand is that there is a definant link between thoughts and emotions.Since I have read all of Dorothy's books I don't remember if it is from this particular book that I was able given the advice to free myself from depression, but I can tell you what it was. In one particular conversation that she had with a client called Margaret, she told Margaret to repeat to herself OUT LOUD "Margaret, Your're alright". Margaret followed Dorthy's advice and was cured of her depression. I decided to repeat this on myself, saying OUT LOUD my first name, then your're alright,every so often over a period of one or two weeks. What I experienced was amazing. I felt like a big black cloud literally rise from my entire body until it disappeared above my head.It was a truly amazing experience. I felt my body go kind if limp like a rag doll and that was it, that was the end of my depression. It took some time after to really fully recover, but that experience was the beginning of the end of my depression. What Dorothy tries to make people understand is that depression is a state of ABSOLUTE TERROR and that your're feelings affect your mind and your mind affects your're feelings.When you suffer from depression you are so full of guilt that you not only feel that you are evil you KNOW that you are evil. And you keep yourself in this state because it offers you safety. I urge everybody who suffers from depresion or who knows some-one who is suffering from depression to read her books.
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13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
good overview but lacks solid advice, April 7, 2002
As a former sufferer of clinical depression, my most effective tool for recovery was self-help books. Although I would say that Dorothy Rowe writes in a very creative and understanding manner about the nature of depression and the binds which keep us in it, the book doesn't really venture beyond the abstract. Unlike the excellent "Overcoming Depression" by Paul Gilbert or "Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway" by Susan Jeffers, there is actually very little advice on how to practically integrate these ideas into your life, as well as how to cope on a day to day basis with the condition.
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