Depression: What Everyone Needs to Know®

Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Contents
Acknowledgments
Part I: Definitions of Depression
	1. The Challenge of Defining Depression
		What is depression?
		How has depression been defined throughout history?
	2. The Syndrome of Clinical Depression
		What are the symptoms of depression?
		How is clinical depression different from a sad mood?
		How does clinical depression range in its severity?
		What is the difference between unipolar depression and bipolar disorder?
	3. When Should I Worry That I Might Be Depressed?
		Case Study: Jose
		Can I self-diagnose?
		What are better ways to diagnose depression?
	4. The Prevalence of Depression
		How common is depression?
		Is the prevalence of depression increasing?
		A depression epidemic? Sorting out the evidence
	5. The Consequences of Depression
		How does depression impact mental and physical health, relationships, and careers?
		Which mental health problems usually co-occur with depression?
		Why does depression so often co-occur with other mental health problems?
		Does depression ever have any positive consequences?
Part II: Origins of Depression and the Depression Epidemic
	6. Biological Contributions to Depression
		Is depression a “chemical imbalance”?
		Is depression due to bad genes?
		What has research on the brain taught us about depression?
	7. Environmental and Psychological Contributions to Depression
		Is depression the result of stress?
		Does depression stem from negative thoughts?
		Does depression stem from relationship problems?
		Can depression result from childhood events?
	8. Depression Throughout the Life Course
		Can children have depression?
		Why does depression spike during adolescence?
		Why are women more likely than men to have depression?
		What is depression like in older people?
	9. Depression Over Time
		If I have depression, will it come back?
		What is chronic depression?
		Is there such a thing as a depressive personality?
	10. Why Is There an Epidemic of Depression?
		A mood science approach to the depression epidemic
		How modern routines disturb mood
		Does social media play a role?
		The perils of a happiness-obsessed culture
		Young persons: The future of the depression epidemic?
Part III: Remedies for Depression
	11. What Are My Treatment Options?
		What are the best treatments for depression?
		Cognitive–behavioral therapy
		Interpersonal psychotherapy
		Medication treatments for depression
		Other important treatment options
		How effective are different depression treatments?
		How should I decide which treatment to try?
		How can I find a competent treating professional?
		Final quick pep talk: Top five reasons to consider treatment
	12. What Can the Depressed Person Do for Themself?
		Start from where you are
		Do self-help books help depression?
		What about the role of exercise, sleep, or pets?
		How can I discover my secret weapon against depression?
	13. How to Talk About Depression and Help a Depressed Person
		Why is depression so difficult to talk about?
		Breaking down conversation barriers
		What else can you do to help a friend or family member who is depressed?
		When depression becomes a crisis
Part IV: Life After Depression
	14. What Is the Long-Term Prognosis for Depression?
		Peering into the future
		What is meant by terms such as recovery, response, or remission?
		How common is full recovery from depression (and what explains why it happens)?
		Can people flourish after depression?
	15. Life After Depression
		The first day of the rest of your life
		Making sense of depression after it passes
		What can be learned from depression?
		Being prepared for relapse: Recommendations
	16. Charting a New Future for Depression
		What are the biggest remaining myths about depression?
		What can the individual do to improve the conversation about depression?
		How can the individual help bring about broader social changes that reduce the toll of depression?
		Is there really reason for hope?
Resources
Index