50 of 57 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Wish it were this simple..., August 25, 2000
By A Customer
In short, this book is not the answer for everyone. I wish it was. The premise in this book is that everyone has difficulties, and that depression is basically choosing to have self-pity about one's difficulties. I agree that a depressed person (like myself) is often self-consumed. But while depression can definitely be caused or contributed to by self-pity, there are other causes.
Depression can be very complex and can stem from truly *damaged* emotional and mental processes. If a person has been in a difficult situation for years, especially formative years, they may have picked up many wounds and harmful mental processes along the way. It can take years of counseling to learn to think and feel in a healthy way. In other words, a wound is a wound. Being wounded is not a sin. Wounds need *medicine*, and the more severe the wound, the more medicine it may need. The medicine for depression can be spiritual counseling, psychological counseling, medication, or a combination.
We cannot fix a damaged arm by confessing that the damage is a sin. We cannot fix wounded mental processes, crippled self-image by focusing more on our sinfulness. If you know that you're a sinner and you have a growing relationship with God, and you still deal with wounds and depression, I suggest trying a book by Henry Cloud. He is realistic in helping people deal with past wounds, experience fully God's love and acceptance, and move on.
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36 of 41 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A true cure for depression!, February 26, 2000
When I picked this book up at a library, I figured it would be like all the other unhelpful books on depression I had read. However, the book was amazing! This book literally changed my life! I had been suffering from depression for 6 years and tried therapy, hypnosis, anti-depressants and had a struggling relationship with the Lord. I knew that the only way I was going to beat the disease was through God, but I didn't know how. I felt that I would be depressed for the rest of my life. The book opened my eyes to that fact that my self-pity was a sin and the root of my depression. The book showed me how to beat the depression by giving me details on how to change my thinking. I have been relatively depression free since reading this book. Try reading this book, it might change your life too!
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11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This book has a lot of good points, April 30, 2001
By A Customer
This particular book helped me get out of a recent deep depression. In particular, it helped to focus on how my anger and self-pity kept the cycle of depression going. It also showed me that I was focusing on the circumstances of my life, keeping myself trapped by what other people might or might not do.
This book also showed me that while healing might be needed in some areas of my life, I didn't have to wait until that healing was done to get rid of my depression. I highly recommend this book to anyone (but especially Christians) who are struggling with depression or those who have a loved one in that situation.
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