Out of the Darkened Room: When a Parent is Depressed; Protecting the Children and Strengthening the Family [Hardcover]

William R. Beardslee (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 17, 2002

Depression spreads like a contagion through families, affecting everyones lives, especially childrens. The spouses of people with depression are several times more likely to become depressed themselves; their children are four to six times more likely. Drawing from a comprehensive, long-term study of resilient children from depressed families, Out of the Darkened Room outlines a wide array of prevention strategies, from the family meeting to open and sustained communication on the subject of mental illness. Dr. Beardslee weaves together his own personal and clinical experiences with the emerging scientific research, the key theoretical concepts, and the steps families need to take in order to make sense of the illness.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

To move out of the darkened room that is depression, a parent must first move beyond denial--about the disease itself, and about its toll on the entire family. Politely bucking traditional reactive psychiatric methods, Dr. William Beardslee presents his effective program of "preventive intervention," designed to work over the long haul. The goals are twofold: first, to bolster suffering parents with strong tools for healing; second, and most importantly, to promote resilience in their children.

A handful of pages cover the basics about medicines and therapy styles available for harnessing one's current depressive disorder. Beardslee strongly recommends incorporating both forms of treatment. But the majority of his praise (and page realty) is dedicated to teaching parents how to initiate and maintain powerful family communication. True healing begins with a family meeting, where parents speak honestly about their disease and invite children to discuss their own feelings, thoughts, and worries.

Throughout the book, in-depth stories from diverse families under Beardslee's professional wing illustrate the difficulties and rewards associated with this commitment to sharing. Beardslee's gentle, encouraging confidence in this process, supported by many additional research findings, sends a positive and optimistic message to those seeking help for themselves and protection for their children. --Liane Thomas

From Booklist

Beardslee, a psychiatrist, draws on 20 years of study to offer encouragement and therapeutic strategies for families struggling with depression. The illness is fairly widespread (20 percent of Americans suffer from depression at some time in their lives) but goes generally unrecognized and untreated because of guilt, shame, and confusion. Beardslee outlines the symptoms of depression as well as the biological bases and causes of the disease. He provides accounts of families coping with depression to illustrate the treatment program developed at Children's Hospital in Boston, where he practices. Beardslee takes a preventive approach to help families recognize depression, develop resiliency, and reduce the risks. Profiles of families who have coped well with a range of challenges, from divorce, death, job loss, and other life woes, show the characteristics associated with triumphing over adversity and avoiding depression. Separate chapters explore depression in adults and children and the threat of suicide, the ultimate mental health crisis. A useful and accessible resource. Vanessa Bush
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown; 1 edition (June 17, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316085499
• ISBN-13: 978-0316085496
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,132,993 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Very Important Book For Families, October 29, 2002

By 

Peter L. Forster (San Francisco, California USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Out of the Darkened Room: When a Parent is Depressed; Protecting the Children and Strengthening the Family (Hardcover)

This is one of those rare books in the mental health field that has the capacity to inspire. It is the story of a lifetime devoted to trying to provide families with one depressed parent with tools that can lead to healthy and successful outcomes for the family.

It could have been better written (parts of it bogged down a bit in the individual family stories) but I think it provides a place to start for a family wrestling with the terrible dilemmas of what to do, what to say to the kids, how to flourish in the face of terrible adversity.

I recommend that families buy one copy for themselves and one copy for a family therapist or other mental health practitioner and then sit down with that practitioner to develop a plan of action.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Realistic hope, February 5, 2003

By 

maria sauzier (Cambridge, MA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Out of the Darkened Room: When a Parent is Depressed; Protecting the Children and Strengthening the Family (Hardcover)

This book manages to be both realistic and full of hope. The author is a child psychiatrist who has extensive experience helping children and families with a depressed parent, both from his clinical practice and from his research. This dual perspective, combined with his deep compassion, makes this book come alive. He offers a wealth of advice, lessons learnt from and with the families he describes.
A book to be recommended to all who are dealing with a depressed family member and wonder how to help the children.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A much needed resource!, October 21, 2002

By 

Sarah (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Out of the Darkened Room: When a Parent is Depressed; Protecting the Children and Strengthening the Family (Hardcover)

This book is a much needed resource for anyone who's family is dealing with depression or any other mood disorder. An easy and comprehensive read with plenty of helpful advice.