Customer Reviews

You Are Not Alone: Words of Experience and Hope for the Journey Through Depression

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Undoubtedly, it is a great suffering to be depressed. For the people who love and care a depressed person, however, there is no less suffering. Instead of giving me the academical definition of depression, the book simply helps me to understand better how a person in depression feels and understands the world. I feel more empathetic to the people in depression. It is a book not only helps a depressed person to walk out of his depression but also his family and friends to love him even more.

After struggling with depression for most of my life, I discovered this book at precisely the right time. Basically, it's an oral history of "normal" people who suffer from terrible depression. It made me realize that the worst thing about depression is that you feel so alone when you are depressed and, worse, you feel slightly crazy when you finally snap out of it and look back. This book makes you realize that the experience is more universal than you think and that there are a lot of talented, achieving people who struggle with depression and that you are, indeed, not alone.

People who have never been to the Dark Side just don't understand what it is like to be depressed, to be inconsolable and cry uncontrollably. Caring friends may encourage you to "cheer up" or tell you "you don't have anything to be depressed about", but these things only make you feel worse. This book is -- okay, it's no substitute for a therapist or a caring friend -- but its full of one-two paragraph snippets from folks who have been there -- sharing their feelings, their symptoms, their words of encouragement. This book is not a how-to; it doesn't discuss the chemistry of depression or outline treatment programs. Rather, it really does make you feel like you're not crazy, not the only person in the world who is crippled by depression. Some of the writers even describe how they are empowered by their depression -- which is encouraging. My only, tiny little gripe about the book -- the author/editor changes the names and home towns of the contributors to protect their privacy, and in one of the stories, the author's purported name doesn't match the name in the story. Nitpicky, I know.

Not one page of "cheer up", "you're fine" or "just think positively". Depression is icy, lonely, cold and empty. This book helped me to see that although my iceberg was drifitng there were others not far away. The most profound impact was that I now had words to put to the feelings that didn't sound crazy and something to share with people who loved me to help them understand.

I have clinical depression and for years I struggled to understand what I was feeling and then how to describe it to others. I felt so alone. This book was a God send for me! It made me realize that others struggle with the same problems that I do - it was confirmation that I was not crazy. I shared the book with my family to help them understand what I was feeling but could not express.

While depression has a cluster of common symptoms and emotions, each person's experience of is unique. This book consists of many verbal snapshots, by people of all ages. It contains the voices not just of those who suffer directly from depression, but of those who suffer with the sufferers. If you are depressed, or if you love someone who is depressed, you will find in this book words which articulate your emotions. Finding those words will reassure you that "you are not alone," and will help you towards health.

This book is perfect for anyone experiencing mild to moderate depression. While I was depressed, I searched for books endlessly until I found this one. This book was radically different from the others because it wasn't attempting to explain why I was depressed, it just acknowledged that I was and put into words what I was feeling. The problem often times with depression is that there aren't words to describe the emotions. It's so much more than "sad". I just didn't have the energy to read a lengthy book. With "You Are Not Alone" you can just pick it up, open up to any page and start reading to get instant relief. I still take it off my shelf when I feel low. It's like a favorite music CD...it soothes and puts you at ease.

Excellent. In the depths of my depression, I found it impossible to read anything of significance - the information simply would "not go in". This book was written by a woman who obviously knows this particular dilemma of the depressed person. Each page is a separate mini-story of someone's struggle with depression, providing insight and encouragement in perfect, easily digestible doses

I bought this book on a whim years ago when I wanted to better understand my depression (knowledge is power, right?). It continues to sit on my bathroom floor, next to my bed, or on my coffee table within easy reach should I feel the urge to try to sink into the darkness within. It reminds me that I am truly not alone. It helps me to remember that there is hope. My copy is now well worn, but I treasure it always.

I first read this book a few years ago during my first 'go round' with depression. (I have since gone through a second depressive episode) I continue to flip through the pages, and have several of them flagged, as well as highlighted. I have ready many books on depression and have found this one to be the best yet! I remember reading some of the pages and thinking 'Oh, my God ... I feel that!!' ... It definintely made me realize that I am not the only person suffering from this horrible disease ... depression. Thank you Julia Thorne!