Understanding Depression, 2d ed.

Since the publication of the first edition in 1993, there have been important developments in the understanding of depression and in the treatment approaches. This new edition reflects these new realities, giving increased emphasis to the biological foundations of depression, the development of and wide use of antidepressant drugs, the shift in the means of dispensing these drugs from mental health professionals to primary care physicians, and the development of alternative medicine approaches to treatment. Written in an easy-to-read manner, the book provides a wide-ranging picture of what is known about depressed moods and depression, from demographic, biological, and psychological aspects to methods of treatment and issues surrounding recurrence.

Paul R. Robbins is a psychologist who has held a number of positions as a researcher in the Department of Psychiatry of the George Washington University Medical School, the National Institute of Mental Health, and the Public Health Service. He has served as a consultant to the Drug Addiction Ward of the Veterans’ Administration Hospital in Washington, DC, and had a private practice of psychotherapy for over twenty years. He has published numerous research papers in psychological and psychiatric journals, written many books on psychological topics for general readers and is the author of several novels. He lives in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Paul R. Robbins

Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 247
Bibliographic Info: tables, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2009
pISBN: 978-0-7864-3542-5
eISBN: 978-0-7864-5263-7
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments      vi

Preface to the Second Edition      1

Introduction      5

1. Depressed Mood and Depression      7

2. Depression in the United States      26

3. The Biological Bases of Depression      46

4. A Psychological Perspective on Depression      60

5. The Roots of Depression: A Look at Childhood Experiences      75

6. Stress and Depression      88

7. Depression, Alcohol and Drugs      97

8. Coping with Depressed Feelings      109

9. Some Counsel for the Family and Friends of a Depressed Person      127

10. Seeking Professional Help: Changing Patterns      134

11. Antidepressant Drugs      138

12. Psychotherapy      151

13. Hospitalization for Depression and the Use of Electroconvulsive Therapy      167

14. Alternative Treatments for Depression      172

15. The Problem of Recurrence      185

16. Concluding Remarks      192

Chapter Notes      197

Bibliography      209

Index      231

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