Book Ideas from Dr. Bob
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Book Ideas

Recommendations by folks at Psycho-Babble

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means newly listed here, not (necessarily) newly published.

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	Adult Children of Abusive Parents : A Healing Program for Those Who Have Been Physically, Sexually, or Emotionally Abused by Steven Farmer Recommended by Michael D: If you want to learn more about disfunctional families, this book is great, including some of the more 'suttle' emotional things.
	The Alienist by Caleb Carr Recommended by Janet: What I really enjoy is a good detective novel. Have you read this book? I found it a fascinating portrayal of the state of psychiatry at the turn of the century. More from dove: I loved this book, have you read his second one? I didn't find the second quite as good as his first.
	The Antidepressant Survival Program : How to Beat the Side Effects and Enhance the Benefits of Your Medication by Robert J. Hedaya Recommended by jbird: This book is very interesting. I'm going to try the program and see how it works, although it is hard for me to get the right balance of protein since I am a vegetarian -- I tend to prefer carbos! More from LyndaK: This book is pretty basic in what he has to say about nutrition and exercise, but he goes on to explain all the why's behind the recommendations. He also has a bunch of self-tests as a way of determining if you should have additional testing done for thyroid function, adrenal function, liver function, digestive function, etc. explaining why it's important and how dysfunction may impact how your body is able to (or not able to) utilize the medication(s) you're on.
	Anxiety and Phobia Workbook by Edmund J. Bourne Recommended by Yardena: I recommend this book. It talks about different types of anxiety, various symptoms, and a comprehensive approach to managing anxiety. It is readable, practical, and comprehensive.
	The Artist's Way : A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron Recommended by quilter: I have found this book to be useful in my attempts to develop the courage to call myself an artist as well as to learn some techniques to help overcome the inertia of depression. The author has set up various exercises to help people find the creativity that we all have, and to form good work habits. I also found the only believable affirmations (for me). A valuable bonus! More from yona: the absolute best thang i every read in regards to creating meaning/spirituality/creativity is this book. if you haven't read it, and are interested in starting a creative/spiritual journey definately go pay 12 bucks (us) and got get this book. you'll be surprised to find out how creative you really are.
	The Beast : A Journey Through Depression by Tracy Thompson Recommended by dj: If you haven't read this book by Washington Post reporter Tracy Thompson, it's a good primer on one person's journey and also describes some of the learned elements which Richard O'Connor focuses on in Undoing Depression.
(no picture, sorry)	Betrayal by the Brain : The Neurologic Basis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, and Related Neural Network Disorders by Jay A. Goldstein Recommended by Victoria: The more I learn about both depression and fibromyalgia, the more I believe they are related problems with brain chemistry. You might want to take a look at this. He claims to have a lot of success with fibromyalgia with neurontin and pindolol (among other things, he's got about 30 meds he works with). And lately I've been seeing more about both of those drugs as antidepressants or augmenters of antidepressants. I'm going to see Dr. Goldstein next month.
	Beyond Ritalin : Facts About Medication and Other Strategies for Helping Children, Adolescents, and Adults With Attention Deficit Disorders by Stephen W. Garber, Robyn Freedman Spizman (Contributor), Marianne Daniels Garber (Contributor) Recommended by Noa: This book provides what I think is a balanced view of stimulant medications as one aspect of an overall approach to helping with ADHD, but they talk about what else beside the meds is needed, too.
	The Biology of Success by Robert Arnot Recommended by Noa: A good discussion of coming to terms with our individual mood variations is in this book.
	Bipolar Disorder : A Guide for Patients and Families by Francis Mark Mondimore Recommended by Chris A: This book is ... a fairly comprehensive, practical guide. It would be the first reference I would recommend to someone diagnosed bipolar and their families.
	Blaming the Brain : The Truth About Drugs and Mental Health by Elliot Valenstein Recommended by Peter: If you want to read a thought provoking book that is a good analysis of our lack of knowledge about the cause of mental illness as well as a critique of the pharmaceutical industry, take a look at this book.
	The Body Betrayed : A Deeper Understanding of Women, Eating Disorders, and Treatment by Kathryn J. Zerbe Recommended by Cynthia: This is an excellent book.
	The Book : On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are by Alan Watts Recommended by Dee: This should be required reading.
	Brain Lock : Free Yourself from Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior : A Four-Step Self-Treatment Method to Change Your Brain Chemistry by Jeffrey M. Schwartz, Beverly Beyette (Contributor) Recommended by Bones: Another suggestion - this is a very good book for us OCDers that you may want to read. I guess it's kind of a behavioral/cognitive approach to dealing with this handicap. More from Kat26: I have worked with this book. I found it very helpful.
(no picture, sorry)	Breakdown : A Personal Crisis and a Medical Dilemma by Stuart Sutherland Recommended by Nick: I can recommend this book, by Stuart Sutherland, a Professor of Psychology, about his manic depression/bipolar disorder. It is disarmingly frank, and although he doesn't emerge from it as terribly likeable, it has a blistering critique of psychoanalysis and a useful, non-jargon-laden review of cognitive therapy, in it.
	The Broken Brain : The Biological Revolution in Psychiatry by Nancy C. Andreasen Recommended by Nancy: Another goodie you may enjoy is this book. You know, the role of neuroanatomy and neurochemistry (or all of neuroscience, if you are interested in its other realms) in affective disorders, that sort of stuff. It isn't nearly as technical as the graduate research of fetal tissue transplantation into the neostriatum for the treatment of Parkinsonism. So, it is very fast reading. Besides, I like it when S. Freud is put in his proper place... "out there" somewhere far from reality and hard science. (LOL)
	A Candle at Midnight : Keeping Vigil As a Path Through Depression by Marcy Heidish Recommended by crinn: This is a very good book I found. It is primarily about prayer vigils for people with clinical depression--not as a cure-all, but as one more thing that may help. Anyway the back part of the book has all kinds of Biblical characters--Old Testament & New, that suffered a number of mental illnesses, as well as personal setbacks, and how they dealt with it. It has helped me much the same way Psycho-Babble has helped me--I know that I am not alone in this, and even on the days I feel most hopeless, I see that other people have survived, and even have good days. More from Krazy Kat: I've just started this book. It is oriented toward Christianity, but not obsessively or offensively so (if you know what I mean). The author is quite a decent writer and she tackles a lot of the questions re: is it really a biological disorder? Should we feel guilty about it?
	Change Your Brain, Change Your Life : The Breakthrough Program for Conquering Anxiety, Depression, Obsessiveness, Anger, and Impulsiveness by Daniel G. Amen Recommended by manowar: I found this book to be fascinating and enlightening. He has an uncommon approach to Psychiatry. His clinic does what is called 'spect' studies of his patients. (Similar to MRI's, but better at showing how the brain is actually functioning). He doesn't understand why psychiatry doesn't commonly use imaging technology to diagnose problems, being that the brain is far more complex than any organ in the body. Anyway, in his book he gives cases and shows the 'spects' of people with various type of mental illness including depression, OCD, bi-polar, schizophrenia. He also shows spects of people that have abused drugs, or have had hard falls and brain injuries. What is cool is that you can look at the 'spects' and the 'problem area' of a subjects brain seems to always correspond with the type of problem he has. I read a chapter about depression and how it normally has to do with the deep limbic area of the brain and that with most depressions, it is actually working too hard. (I seemed to have most of the symptoms of deep-limbic depression, which are most of the standard symptoms of major depression). The next chapter blew my mind. It was on ADD/ADHD. I never expected in a million years that I had ADD symptoms at all. But what I learned is that ADD is a problem where the symptoms vary from patient to patient, and no two patients are the same. I found that I have many symptoms of an ADD subtype. I also learned that only half of people with attention deficit have problems with hyperactivity. The pre-frontal cortex of the brain seems to be the culprit. Sometimes, it seems that people who think they are suffering from major depression are actually suffering from a subtype of ADD which he calls 'deep limbic ADD'. He asserts that the 'deep limbic' section of the brain works in conjunction with the prefrontal cortex; and if the prefrontal cortex is not functioning properly (not enough activation), it can cause the deep limbic section to overwork, hence depressive symptoms. He points out that it is very important for the p-doc to differentiate between the ADD subtype and depression, because the treatment is often different. Anyway, he commonly prescribes stimulants along with anti-depressives to patients who have problems with apathy, low motivation, ect. Dr. Amen talks about stimulants like they are the best thing since sliced bread. (I suppose they are especially with true ADDers) He also says that they are very safe, and the only problem he has with them is sometimes his younger patients 'forget' to take their dose. He doesn't seem to have a problem with adults overusing the drugs to get 'high'. More from sjb: I like the book a lot and go back to it often for reference. Some of my favorite parts: "When you're 18 you worry that everyone is talking about you, when you're 40 you don't give a damn, and when you're 65 you realize nobody ever talked about you". I may not have quoted this exactly right, but you get the point, for all you fellow neurotics out there. Also, the "Brain Do's and Don'ts" at the end of the book are also nice - helpful for all types of depression, I believe. Most are things we've heard before, but it's quick and easy to reread and try implement on a daily basis. I'm also trying some of the supplements he recommended. I basically am not into supplements and think most of the time, they are a waste of money, but what the hey. More from JordanRiver: This book has helped me understand why I am depressive and how physical abnormality in the brain (including head trauma) contributes to psychological problems. I strongly recommend it.
	Changes That Heal : How to Understand Your Past to Ensure a Healthier Future by Cloud Henry Recommended by alison: This is an excellent book that I am reading now. Try it! Dr Cloud has written a number of other books that are also helpful. He is a clinical psychologist.
	City of One: A Memoir by Francine Cournos Recommended by bob: Here's a book to read. I recommend it to anyone who has suffered this sort of loss [of a parent]. This book is by Francine Cournos, a psychiatrist at Columbia. It's her memoir of being orphaned at an early age and how it affected her life. It was published last year. I think she shares a lot of wisdom on dealing with the catastrophic loss the death of a family member can be.
	Clinical Psychopharmacology Made Ridiculously Simple by John Preston, James Johnson Recommended by djmmm: for *anyone* taking antidepressant or anxiolytic drugs,I think this book should be read.
	Code and Other Laws of Cyberspace by Lawrence Lessig Recommended by Mark H.: Larry Lessig is arguably the best informed legal scholar on Internet law and policy in the United States. This wonderful book, though dry at times (as any legal explanation for us laypeople must be), is a fascinating must-read for anyone interested in Internet development.
(no picture, sorry)	Cognitive Therapy for Personality Disorders : A Schema-Focused Approach by Jeffrey E. Young Recommended by noa: This is a small book I once read that resonated with me very strongly. What was helpful was a questionnaire in the back that has you identify negative "schema", ie, deeply embedded beliefs about yourself, in a number of different areas, such as sense of competence, lovability, self-control, etc. The questionnaire put into words some of these non-verbal feelings I have always had about myself (unlovable, etc.). Interestingly, when I did the questionnaire, I realized I had made a lot of change in areas about competence, etc. Had I filled out the questionnaire earlier in my life, I would have endoresed all the items having to do with feeling stupid and incompetent, etc. I still have some issues there, but not like I used to. So, change is possible, I guess.
(no picture, sorry)	Confessions of an English Opium-Eater and Other Writings by Thomas De Quincey Recommended by Cam W.: I think this book should be recommended reading in rehab. It is really interesting how his attitude changed over the years it took to write the book.
	Conquering the Beast Within : How I Fought Depression and Won ... and How You Can, Too by Cait Irwin Recommended by Noa: This is a nice little book for teens by a teen with depression.
	Conversations With God : An Uncommon Dialogue by Neale Donald Walsch Recommended by Glenn Fagelson: This is one book that I have just read. It is not a religious book, but rather a spiritual book. This book is 3 volumes long and can be checked out of any library. I found the book to be very enlightening; and, in some ways, it has changed my outlook on life.
	Cutting : Understanding and Overcoming Self-Mutilation by Steven Levenkron Recommended by Cindy W: This is a really great book I got from the library recently, about self-injurious behaviors. More from judy1: There aren't too many people in the mental health field that understand self-injury; Noa had recommended this book which has been a huge help to me. (So Noa, if you're reading this, thank you).
(no picture, sorry)	The Dance-Away Lover : And Other Roles We Play in Love, Sex, and Marriage by Daniel Goldstine, Katherine Larner, Shirley Zuckerman, Hil Goldstine Recommended by glenn: > We had dated for two months when he asked me to marry him. We planned on moving in together as his lease was soon to be up. Together we searched for three weekends for a place to live. After finding the perfect place, we signed a lease and made preparations. Two days before, he tells me he doesn't want us to live together. these are a couple of good books that show that it's not your doing which it doesn't sound like it is
	The Deepest Blue: How Women Face and Overcome Depression by Lauren Dockett, Matthew McKay Recommended by Ella: I liked this book, which is about women and depression.
	The Depression Book : Depression As an Opportunity for Spiritual Growth by Cheri Huber Recommended by Ella: This book is good if you are interested in a Zen view of depression.
	Depression : The Way Out of Your Prison by Dorothy Rowe Recommended by fi: Dorothy Rowe is a very eminent psychologist who has a theory about depression described in various books. I'm not sure it fits everyone, but it can be worth a look. The books arent particularly easy to read - I couldnt concentrate enough to read them till I was better.
	Descartes' Error : Emotion, Reason, and the Human Brain by Antonio R. Damasio Recommended by Elizabeth: I recommend this book for a discussion of the relationship between "thinking" and "feeling."
	Diagnosis and Treatment of Multiple Personality Disorder by Frank W. Putnam Recommended by shelliR: the issue of personalities and switching is so complicated that I will refer you to this book. Putnam (NIMH) had the strictest definition of MPD before its name change. He was also on the committee for the guide lines for DID for the DSM-IV, although the diagnosis got pretty muddled there because of compromise, I've heard. His book is sort of the MPD bible for purists.
	The Diet Cure by Julia Ross Recommended by kathy: The best diet for depression can be found in this book. This is easily read, and the diet even easier to follow... try it, it works. I know, I have been using it for the past 6 months... the best months of my life. Plus she also explains why The Zone whilst being a good diet is not the way to go...
	Dispensing With the Truth: The Victims, the Drug Companies, and the Dramatic Story Behind the Battle over Fen-Phen by Alicia Mundy Recommended by jane d: I just finished reading this book. It is a truly scary book and one I strongly recommend to anyone who, like me, probably must take medications and also to all of you who advocate the further weakening of the FDA. It describes how the company, Wyeth Ayerst deliberately buried reports of fatalities so they wouldn't lose sales. It also describes journal articles written and paid for by the company (favorable of course), company officials pressuring the FDA to approve an unsafe drug which the FDA knowingly did (comforting thought), and probable illegal promotion by the company of off label use. Best of all there seemed to be an entire company full of people who believed that the companies profit was more important than the lives of it's customers.
	Doors of Perception and Heaven and Hell by Aldous Huxley Recommended by Abby: I highly recommend "Doors of Perception" Huxley describes his experience of taking the hallucinogen mescalin. (Then in the companion volume "Heaven and Hell" he describes some of the problems). Huxley talks about teh value of seeing the complete reality but also the biologic necessity of seeing what is useful for us to get on with our lives. It seems to me that what he wanted to do in approaching that full reality was to knock us down from prideful arrogance. He NEVER thought it would be a good idea to live in such a state permanently. The terrible pain of the "schizophrenic", a term he used to refer to one who can not filter out the biologically extraneous information, was too great and a waste of the sheer wonder of creation.
	The Drama of the Gifted Child : The Search for the True Self by Alice Miller Recommended by Cass: If emotional abuse is an issue in your depression, I would highly suggest this book or "Thou Shalt Not Be Aware" (below).
	Driven to Distraction : Recognizing and Coping With Attention Deficit Disorder from Childhood Through Adulthood by Edward M. Hallowell, John J. Ratey Recommended by ginny: Read this book. It was written by a psychiatrist with ADHD, and it's a nice perspective.
	Dysthymia and the Spectrum of Chronic Depressions by Hagop S. Akiskal, Giovanni B. Cassano Recommended by Elizabeth: I agree that Dr. Akiskal is da man. Before I got hosed with schoolwork (it's finals week now), I started reading this book. I didn't get very far, but I recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about this disorder. More from Elizabeth: I've been reading this book, which I wholeheartedly recommend. It goes into all the different forms that chronic depression can take -- sometimes it manifests as life-long low energy and disinterest, other times as chronic rejection-sensitivity and irritability. More from John: It is indeed an interesting book, though I find I have to re-read parts to understand and abosrb.
	84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff Recommended by noa: This is about a correspondence relationship that develops between an American woman and a man who runs a bookshop in England. It is a quick and easy read, just a collection of letters exchanged over about 20 years. It is by Helene Hanff, who was a tv writer in the fifties and sixties. She started a correspondence with a London bookshop, inquiring about an out of print book. Over the course of 20 years or so, she and the store's employees, mostly one employee, but also others... The letters are very email-like in style. Well, Helene's letters are, the bookshop people are less so. All the letters are fairly brief. Helene often ignores capitalization and writes in informal syntax. She gets very friendly quickly, and is very expressive in a conversational way. She uses all-caps to shout. She teases and uses sarcasm a lot. At one point, she writes to a friend who is living temporarily in London, and tells her that though she envies her ability to go to the store and meet the people in person, that she suspects that despite her forwardness in her letters, she would probably go into the store, spend a few hours there and leave without ever telling people who she was! This sounded very much like the internet phenomenon: bold interactions in writing, timid in person. I started to wonder if Helene Hanff had a bit of social phobia... Whether she was socially anxious or not, I also thought she would love the internet. I want to find out if she ever got to use the internet before her death in 1997. She seems like she would be thrilled with it, and would be an avid ebay user (love of old books) and frequent emailer and perhaps also a bulleting board user or chatter. More from dove: I've been trying to recall the name and author of that book forever! My grandma read it to me when I was a youngin' and I just adored it. I would follow along as she read aloud, laying across the painful and ancient steel-spring bed, elbows planted firmly with chin resting on my hands, and eyes glued to the delightfully expressive text of this ongoing and mutating relationship so detached from my personal reality and life at that time. It awoke something inside my imagination that just soaked up the ambience, I so desired to be part of this lovely occupation that crossed oceans and nationalities. To be occupied with yellowed pages of old-letter set print, flowery script too intricate to actually read but beautiful none-the-less. To be always surrounded by musty gorgeous books. To observe the strange, eccentric, and odd, in both book and person. To be detached, yet so close, to be intimate and yet so very guarded. I dreamt of England, her coal stained buildings covered by a damp chill blanket of fog, always dimming the yellow-vapor street-lamps as Dickens-esque street urchins scuffle about with their big hungry eyes and scrawny asymmetrical limbs. All the while, my Grandma kept reading, turning this page, the next, and the one after that, her velvet voice a distant thrum in my dream world's ears. And my eyes would grow heavy for once in my life :-) as I drifted off to sleep dreaming of writing, and books, and partaking of distant conversations with very intriguing and unusual people.
	Electroshock : Restoring the Mind by Max Fink Recommended by bob: If you are interested in ECT, you might want to read this book. It is reasonably up to date. Chapter 9 deals with the theories of how ECT might work. The major theory he puts forth he refers to as "The Neuroendocrine View". More from LostBoyinNC1: This is probably the best book Ive read so far when it comes to the topic of severe depression. I felt that book did a pretty good job of explaining how Ive felt like at times in my severe depression. Most of the books written about depression tend to focus on the purely emotional or psychological aspects of it and the people tend to introspect a lot in the books. Most books Ive seen covering mood disorders the vegetative problems (severe deterioration in sleep) arent talked about enough.
	Essential Guide to Psychiatric Drugs by Jack M. Gorman Recommended by kregpark@yahoo.com: This is an excellent book, a lot in a small space, a reference. Gorman is highly respected, I think he used to head Columbia.
	Feeling Good : The New Mood Therapy by David D. Burns, Aaron T. Beck (Preface) Recommended by Peter: This book is an excellent introduction to cognitive therapy. More from Diane J.: My psychiatrist suggested that I read this book. He said it was the best book on cognitive therapy that existed. I gave it a good read, and I was amazed when I read about the 10 cognitive distortions and recognized myself in many of them. Dr. Burns has a website, which I visited (and I still do). I asked some questions, and he answered them... I think he is not only very intelligent and professional, he is also a nice guy... You might want to give it a look.
	Fibromyalgia & Chronic Myofascial Pain Syndrome : A Survival Manual by Devin J. Starlanyl, Mary Ellen Copeland (Contributor) Recommended by jane: One of the best books that I found.
	Finding Flow : The Psychology of Engagement With Everyday Life by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi Recommended by dj: This is a very interesting book, based on a lot of research. The author is a professor and former chairman of the Department of Psychology at the University of Chicago who has devoted his life's work to the study of what makes people truly happy, satisfied and fulfilled. More from noa: Yesterday, I was at B&N and this book was on sale for 2 bucks. I remembered it from the book recommendations page, so I bought it. So far, I really like it. A lot of it seems like "common sense", but the way he conceptualizes things is helpful, and it is very interesting to read all the data on how people spend their time, and how they report their moods to be while engaged in different activities.
	5-HTP : The Natural Way to Overcome Depression, Obesity, and Insomnia by Michael T. Murray Recommended by Terri: Read this great book on studies done comparing 5-HTP to AD's which is why I am trying it. More from linda: Depression, obesity, and insomnia are all liked together by one common thread serotonin. This book plus hours at the computer helped me formulate a plan to take charge of my mental physical life. The book breaks every thing down into layman terms. I got sick enough of what was happening to me that I took the plunge. I weaned myself off Zoloft with the help of St. John. Then when all of the Zoloft was out of me (two weeks later ), I started the 5-HTP. In the past three months I have lost down to 140 lbs.! Believe me when I tell you I tried every thing else this works! On top of taking care of the depression this product works on appetite control centers in your brain. The result is decreased appetite. It also offers what I needed most a change in my very metabolism. It took care of my insomnia and increased my desire for sexual relations with my husband again (the loss of weight helped too)!
	For Yourself : The Fulfillment of Female Sexuality by Lonnie Barbach Recommended by JennyR: Serzone and Wellbutrin don't cause sexual side effects. So if you were primarily or exclusively on one of these, then you could see what your sexuality is like without meds interfering. This book helped me a lot with my learning about myself and my responses when I was in my 20s.
	The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom: A Toltec Wisdom Book by Miguel Ruiz Recommended by emma lee: This is short, i read it in one sitting it was so righton/interesting. It talks about how society is based on materialistics and bullshit. Also, one of the Agreements is to not take anything personally. Nothing. How what people call you reflects how they feel about themselves. It talks about "mom" and "dad" and how domesticated we all are. I was in tears when i finished it, call me what you will, but it was a self help book that I actually read.
	14,000 Things to Be Happy About by Barbara Ann Kipfer Recommended by Janet: This is an excellent book you would enjoy. It really does have 14,000 items listed and if you just take each one slowly and ponder it, you will feel all smiley inside. Some examples: flour scoops, being late to class, old records, fruit hats, the beach on a cool evening, leather floors, hand-rolled and cut pasta. Well, you get the idea.
	From Panic to Power : Proven Techniques to Calm Your Anxieties, Conquer Your Fears, and Put You in Control of Your Life by Lucinda Bassett Recommended by Diane Foote: This is an excellent book to read. It ready helps you learn how to deal with anxiety, depression and panic attacks. I have suffered from these problem for about 8 years. So if you can, it would be worth picking up this book.
	From Sad to Glad : Kline on Depression by Nathan S. Kline Recommended by shellie: When I first started Nardil, all the information said that it should kick in after about three weeks. For me, after three weeks, still nothing. I had this paperback, he said that it could take up to six weeks for an MAOI. I was horribly depressed and read that page everyday from week 3 to week 5, and sure enough my breakthrough was at five weeks. At that time the only two choices were tricyclics (which I couldn't take) and MAOIs, so I was feeling pretty desperate. I think that book saved my life.
	The Gift of Fear : Survival Signals That Protect Us from Violence by Gavin De Becker Recommended by rainbowlight: This is a wonderful book that teaches you how to listen to your intuition to avoid violent attacks/stalkers/spousal abuse. This author has been on Oprah and his security firm handles all of the star stalker cases, etc. Very interesting reading and has some great practical advise (but don't read it late at night when everyone else is asleep, lol!) Not a great book if you may trigger easily.
	Going to Pieces Without Falling Apart : A Buddhist Perspective on Wholeness by Mark Epstein Recommended by dj: Learning to let go is a major part of it all, which the author writes very eloquently about in this book. As both a practicing buddhist and a psychoanalyst he knows his territory and the fact that the map is not the territory.
	Goodbye Dear Friend : Coming to Terms With the Death of a Pet by Virginia Ironside Recommended by finelinebob: I lost my 5 yr old Shepherd to cancer last March. Tasha was the best part of my life. My best friend gave me this book, which helped a lot. I guess she's some sort of advice columnist in England, and wrote the book in response to much of the mail she's received over the years. One of the hard truths she brings out (as others have observed) is that because of most pets shorter life spans (can't say that about my therapist's parrot), we will probably lose them before we go ourselves. But for those for whom the thought of getting a new companion brings on thoughts of guilt (as if the pet that has died could ever be "replaced") or deeper grief, not wanting to bear the experience again, she suggested that our companions might say: "You had enough love to bring me into your life ... go love another instead of letting it go to waste."
	Group : Six People in Search of a Life by Paul Solotaroff Recommended by Rzip: I would like to recommend this National Bestseller. As I read about the story-lines that compose each of the six individuals, I can not help but remember the people at PB and Dr. Bob, the moderator. This book is an illustration of how a small group of people can be drastically changed through effective, intense group therapy. The stories that get laid out in session are very intriguing. More importantly however, this book reminds me again of the mystery and power of this profession. It is just a marvel to me how effective "therapy" can be when all the elements come together. Namely, the face-to-face interactions, the willingness of the participants to change, the presence of a competitive peer chemistry which gets played out in a group setting, and finally, a moderator who knows how to keep the story-line running. I have always marvelled at the fact that real effective, intense therapy only takes 10 months, one year at most. Unfortunately, many people who comes into therapy expects to be comforted not challenged. Maturity is hard to come by. Anyhow, I would highly recommend this book this all participants on Psycho-Social-Babble. If nothing else than to see the potential of how the contents on PSB can play out in a real therapy setting.
	A Guided Tour of the Collected Works of C.G. Jung by Robert H. Hopcke Recommended by allisonm: I've found this book quite helpful. Hopcke breaks down Jung's theories and terms into easily-digested bites, written in common language, and lists further readings should the reader want to know more. It's a good primer.
	Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling Recommended by CarolAnn: Anyone else love Harry Potter? The fourth book is fantastic! My experience of the series, is that they are so well written, I am able to totally forget about depression, ADD, and any other daily problems! More from yona: harry has got such a strong heart that who could be depressed reading about all his great adventures? it's harry's land, every night before i sleep, just to remind myself of what life is really like.
	Healing ADD: The Breakthrough Program That Allows You to See and Heal the Six Types of Attention Deficit Disorder by Daniel G. Amen Recommended by niss: I just finished reading this excellent book. It describes the 6 types of ADD, Temporal Lobe included. It goes into great detail and actually shows brain imaging for the differnt types of ADD. Additionally,it discusses epilepsy in that area. It actually discusses, again in great detail, the proper medications for each area. Anticonvulsants appear to be the most effective for the temporal lobe area. I looked into the brain imaging and found that it costs $1000 for each image and you pay first and then submit to your insurance. Although, often it is not needed. It also discusses head injuries and ADD or problems that result from these injuries. I purchased the book off of amazon.com. Really good!
	Healing the Child Within : Discovery and Recovery for Adult Children of Dysfunctional Families by Charles L. Whitfield Recommended by Anna Laura: A psychologist talks about [abuse and sexual identity] on this book. Sure the guy is no Freud nor Lacan: still, he has simple but deep insights I've bought the book years ago and i found it helpful. It's a very very simple book, but i believe it to be an accurate and truthful portrait of people who have been abused.
	Hope and Help for Your Nerves by Claire Weekes Recommended by bones: There are excellent books out: this one is one that helped me years ago.
	How to Start a Conversation and Make Friends by Don Gabor Recommended by Snowie: A few months ago someone suggested to me this book, so I went to my local bookstore and ordered a copy ... it's a small book (only $10) but it's packed with useful information. I've read this book from cover to cover and I'm reading it again. It seems to have been written with the social phobic in mind, and it's been a social lifesaver for me.
	How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie Recommended by Gracie2: constantly worrying is a slow kind of death. To break this habit, I was helped a great deal by this classic book. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
	I Can See Tomorrow : A Guide for Living With Depression by Patricia Owen Recommended by Simcha: I'd like to recommend this book. It is put out by Hazelden and as such it is designed to help those of us who are recovering addicts who are in 12-step programs. I've found it very useful. Often there is a sense of shame I have about being depressed and in recovery. The others in my group try to tell me, "If only you would go to more meetings and call more people you would not be depressed." This book helped me to realize that my depression was a separate illness from my addiction and that there was separate treatment that I needed to get better. Once the doctor decided that medication was something that I should consider the book helped me to deal with the resistence I had as a 12-stepper. In our groups so many people are prejudiced against meds because many of us medicated with illegal drugs for so long. The book helped me to realize that like a diabetic needs insulin, I need my medication for my very medical problem. This book was a light in the darkness for me and it helped me to understand my illness in the light of 12-step spirituality. This book may not be for everyone but for those of us who suffer from addiction and depression it is a G-d send!!!
(no picture, sorry)	I Want to Change, but I Don't Know How by Tom Rusk, Randy Read Recommended by Rhainy: I am reading this book and it is putting some interesting thoughts (Good Ideas) in my mind.
	In the Jaws of the Black Dogs : A Memoir of Depression by John Bentley Mays Recommended by dj: This is another book I've found interesting and insightful on depression and the way the mind/body work... The author is a Southerner who moved to Canada, and as depressing as Toronto can be in the summer and winter, he brought the beast with him and came to grips with it there..
	In the Mind's Eye : Visual Thinkers, Gifted People With Dyslexia and Other Learning Difficulties, Computer Images and the Ironies of Creativity by Thomas G. West Recommended by noa: I just thought of this book to recommend. Thomas West, by way of dealing with his son's school problems, discovered his own ADD/LD issues. He tells the stories of great visual thinkers like Einstein who had awful early school experiences. His thesis is that for the past couple thousand years, society's idea of what "smart" is has been tied to the ability to read and write and use language proficiently, because that has been the primary mode of working with information, and that language highlights sequential abilities. On the other hand, he believes we are at the beginning of a new age, when sequential language-based knowledge has less and less dominance, due to computer and other technologies, where visual, systems-based, extemporaneous knowledge and skills are needed. He also thinks a lot of people who have school problems due to ADD or LD might have a capacity for the more visual/systems/simultaneous way of thinking and can do things that are hard for people who fall into the more traditional sense of "smart".
	In Session : The Bond Between Women and Their Therapists by Deborah A. Lott, Marie Cohen Recommended by allisonm: CindyW turned me onto this book a couple of months ago. It has large sections devoted to the subject of transference and countertransference. Mostly, it urges the patient to talk about their feelings with their therapist because that is an important part of the therapy. But it also has some good common-sense things that I hadn't thought about before that helped me get past some fantasies about my own therapist. Lott says there is a difference between a patient having a crush or strong feelings toward a therapist and the patient having an agenda "to get" the therapist. Fond feelings are normal, because the relationship by necessity has to be close. But if you search yourself and find you have more of an agenda to try to win over your therapist, it's something that needs to be dealt with, talked about. Or that's the gist, I think. More from Button: You should get and read this book. It's one of those books that will make you think the author read your mind. It really helped me to understand my feelings, and I have even begun to talk to my therapist some about it, and it seems to make my therapy even better to have everything out on the table. Unfortunately, there are apparently some therapists that can't handle discussions of this type, which is a shame. I thank God every day for the care He has provided me in the form of my therapist (a pastoral counselor). More from Marie1: There is a line from this book that I really found poignant: "Therapy is...like having your heart professionally broken". More from Dinah: This really is a terrific book. I found it most useful in figuring out what I DIDN'T feel for my therapist, but I know it would be useful the other way around too. I think many of the experiences described in it could apply to men as well.
	Instant Psychopharmacology : A Guide for the Nonmedical Mental Health Professional by Ronald J. Diamond Recommended by Victoria: I just ran across this very useful book. It's by a psychiatrist and aimed at non-medical mental health workers, so it's not terribly technical, but full of practical info. It covers various classes of meds, with lots of straight info about side-effects, discontinuation effects, etc. It answers lots of the questions we raise here.
(no picture, sorry)	The Interpersonal World of the Infant by Daniel N. Stern Recommended by Victoria: This book deals with early experience before language enters the picture. Reading it resulted in a breakthrough in therapy for me, as it seemed to explain feelings I have that I can't capture in words.
	Is This Your Child? : Discovering and Treating Unrecognized Allergies in Children and Adults by Doris J. Rapp Recommended by Mark H.: For a sane, balanced look at "food sensitivities" (the term is intended as an olive branch to the "it doesn't exist group"), see this book, which has been in print for many years and sold millions of copies. The author -- a woman, an MD and board certified allergist -- was among the first to tell parents of children who go wild or get depressed on certain foods that what they saw happen to their children was real and treatable. This book remains the best reference for food allergies for children *and adults*.
	It's Only Too Late If You Don't Start Now : How to Create Your Second Life at Any Age by Barbara Sher Recommended by shellie: I ran across this book I had bought a couple of years ago that I found interesting. Her hypothesis is that at around 40, when you start to realize your mortality, your second life starts: "The goals you pursue in your second life, because they come from your deepest gits..can lead you to greatness." It's not specifically related to starting over because of depression, but I found it relevant anyway... It's a very uplifting book if you're over forty. I have a friend in her early thirties and I find myself getting irritated at her waste of energy concerning things that feel petty to me, but I really do think it has to do with the fact that I have a definite awareness of how finite my life is, and she has not yet reached that point. So we are looking at things very differently.
	Kaplan and Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry: Behavioral Sciences, Clinical Psychiatry by Benjamin J. Sadock, Harold I. Kaplan Recommended by spike4848: The bible of Psychiatry is pretty much this book. It is extremely comprehensive, touches on most aspects of psychiatry.
	Listening to Prozac by Peter D. Kramer Recommended by saint james: I like this book, it has a good history of ADs up to Prozac and general info on depression, neurotransmitters, etc. More from Alan: Without question, one of the most humanistic and perceptively written books about drugs that I know of. I don't personally agree with some of it but it was published about 8 - 9 years ago. Alot has been learned since then from experience but his sketch of the history of psychotropic medication and it's relation to personality is fascinating. More from Elizabeth: I think it's very well-written, although I don't agree with all his opinions, and some of the pharmacological stuff is a bit outdated. Another one of his that I recommend is Moments of Engagement -- this one is about psychotherapy. He's a good writer, and a thoughtful man. More from JohnX2: I really liked the book because I could relate to the "prozac experience" he was talking about and the debate regarding the med changing our mood and indirectly the way we think and this having a positive impact on our psychological actions having spiraling upward effect. This in comparison to psychotherapy, trying to change the way we think directly which is much more laborous and time consuming.
	Living Well With Hypothyroidism: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You ... That You Need to Know by Mary J. Shomon Recommended by Noa: I have just started reading this book and am beginning to believe that anyone who is depressed should be screened for hypothyroidism. More from Noa: This book has been extremely helpful to me, and how fortunate that is has hit the shelves just as I begin to address my questions about how my hypothyroidism affects my depression and my response to medications. The author explains the different diagnostic tests and how to make sense of the results, including some of the history and controversy about diagnosing hypothyroidism. She discusses treatment options, drug quality, why treatment sometimes does not work, and what to about it. Finally, she provides lists of resources, including Dr. Bob's Psychopharmocology Tips, from which she cites discussions about the use of T3 and T4 to treat hypothyroidism associated with depression, giving credit to pdocs for being ahead of their non-psychiatric peers in thinking more flexibly about thyroid treatment.
	Living With It : A Survivor's Guide to Panic Attacks by Bev Aisbett Recommended by trouble: This book is illustrated, and the cartoon characters look very real in their distress. They also look loveable. I predict you will laugh ruefully when you read this book. It truly is a warm, simple, and practical, little book, at least that's how it was for me.
	Living Without Depression and Manic Depression: A Workbook for Maintaining Mood Stability by Mary Ellen Copeland Recommended by ben21: i was given this workbook early on when i was diagnosed which sorta step by step taught me how to adjust to this new dilema that i have. it worked well because i systematically found the help and treatment options, and learned about what i was going through. it might prove useful to you because it helps you record your thoughts, get informed, and monitor you moods and really helps in learning what triggers your mood. then you can really adjust to work around some of the factors that make it worse.
	Long Quiet Highway : Waking Up in America by Natalie Goldberg Recommended by dj: This is a wonderful book. I saw her in a writing workshop a few years ago. Bang on! As she noted to someone who had lots of "excuses" for not writing: "Just shutup and write!"
	Lupus Novice : Toward Self-Healing by Laura Chester Recommended by emma lee: Laura Chester is a fine example of a woman who has done a pretty good job of living her life despite the Lupus.
	The Magic Daughter : A Memoir of Living With Multiple Personality Disorder by Jane Phillips Recommended by shelliR: This is the book I like the most on DID (MPD). It is well written and not histrionic at all. She is a university professor, writes anonymously, and I think gives a good idea of how it feels to try to work and be multiple.
	Making Loss Matter : Creating Meaning in Difficult Times by David J. Wolpe, Mitch Albom Recommended by noa: I just read a book, that I have somewhat mixed feelings about, but it was interesting, so I will pass the info on. It is written by a Rabbi, and draws a lot on traditional Jewish sources (Biblical characters, ancient rabbinic stories, and Hasidic stories), but it is quite universal in its approach. It is not unlike Harold Kushner's When Bad Things Happen to Good People in its intents, but is written in a very different style. Wolpe writes beautifully, but where Kushner writes in a more straightforward manner, Wolpe's prose has a distinctly spiritual/poetic flair. Sometimes, I found his psychological analysis of Biblical stories unsatisfying, simply because his poetic flair seems at times to add to a sort of looseness in how he explains what he is able to draw from the stories. But I was never bored, and it was not repetitive in the way that the typical inspirational/self-help book is. One of the main points of the book relates to letting go of the idea of going back to the way it was or should have been, that we all long for when struggling to cope with life's difficulties. It was also interesting that his treatment of the concept of loss covers "real" and tangible losses, as well as psychological losses. In addition to drawing upon traditional sources, Wolpe shares his pastoral counseling experiences (sometimes these fall into the trap of seem a bit too slick, the way many authors relate their "magically" successful case examples), as well as some of his personal struggles.
	Malignant Sadness : The Anatomy of Depression by Lewis Wolpert Recommended by dj: Re-reading this book which I first read when in the throes of major depression. Easier to read now and making much more sense. An intricate examination of the interplay of elements that comprise depression, written by someone who has been there and also has very solid scientific credentials. More from fi: Lewis Wolpert is an eminent scientist who has also been hospitalised with depression, and wrote a book about the condition afterwards.
	Many Lives, Many Masters by Brian L. Weiss Recommended by Todd: The author is a very traditional and very skeptical psychiatrist who unwittingly led one of his patients into hypnosis and numerous past life experiences. By the time he was through, he was no longer a skeptic. Very fascinating and very inspiring. The woman he treats supposedly consulted "spirit guides" in between the past lives and relates their wisdom while under hypnosis. Check out the book, it's a great read.
	Mapping the Mind by Rita Carter, Christopher Frith Recommended by Noa: Found this interesting book. Something of a coffee table book, glossy, expensive. But interesting graphics and interesting text, too, on different aspects of the mind and brain, such as perception, emotions, memory, attention, laterality, etc. Chapter on emotions was particularly interesting to me, of course, and it explained some of how the amygdala, hippocampus, thalamus, and cortex work together in processing emotions.
	Media Madness : Public Images of Mental Illness by Otto F. Wahl Recommended by Jade: Psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia can incapacitate the person so much that they do not "see" that they have a problem. Because it strikes primarily in the late teens and early adulthood, it is this group who are most effected by the stigma. They have a great difficulty accepting that they have an illness; the knowledge that they have of the illness comes from the media and in most cases it is highly inaccurate and lastly, they are abandoned by their peers who are also stigmatized by the media. This is an excellent book which covers this topic so well. It can take a couple of years for a sufferer and family members to come to a full understanding of the illness.
	The Metaphysical Touch by Sylvia Brownrigg Recommended by NikkiT: This is a great book I have read recently. It's about two people who meet over cyberspace, and the guy is writing a "diery", his own personal diary leading up to what he plans will be his suicide. Bits in it really made sense, and made me realise other people can feel the way I do.
(no picture, sorry)	Mind-Body Deceptions : The Psychosomatics of Everyday Life by Steven L. Dubovsky Recommended by Chris A.: If you can get a hold of it, this book has an excellent discussion differentiating ADHD/ADD and bipolar. He also shares some thoughts on treating children. He is the leading psychopharmacologist in the Rocky Mountain region of the US. The book is out of print, but your local library may have it. If all of us Babblers demanded it, perhaps we could get another printing. One review has said that for the intelligent layman that this is the most useful book available on contemporary psychiatry. Dr. D. answers a lot of the questions that are asked on this list in this book. Obviously, he doesn't answer some of your really hard ones, as he's not God.
	Mind over Mood : Change How You Feel by Changing the Way You Think by Dennis Greenberger, Christine A. Padesky Recommended by Adam: I am of the opinion that cognitive-behavioral therapy, or variants thereof, are the best forms of psychotherapy out there. This is one book that is very CBT-specific. Aaron Beck wrote the forward, and the body of the book is a very simple, straightforward training manual and workbook on how to take control of your thoughts and modify them to combat the distorted thinking caused by depression. More from gail: I've been reading this book and find it very helpful. More from Ant-Rock: I've been seeing a cognitive be-therapist once a week, and he has me reading this book, which sounds like a lame "think positive" cliche, but in fact makes a lot of sense and I would highly reccomend it.
	A Mood Apart : The Thinker's Guide to Emotion and Its Disorders by Peter C. Whybrow Recommended by Nancy: Here's another book that discloses the nature of bipolarity as both a neurostructural and biochemical anomaly. Never fear, it doesn't contain any crap about the neopsychology revolution other than putting it in its proper receptacle. It's another book that removes the blame and shame so very long associated with manic depression.
	Mood Swings Understand Your Emotional Highs And Lows by Paul Meier, Stephen Arterburn, Frank B. Minirth Recommended by Krazy Kat: I wanted to mention this book, which I just bought and read thoroughly. It is written by Christian (what I would call born-again) Psychiatrists who started the "New Life Clinics". I know nothing about the clinics. It compares an environmental versus genetic depression very nicely. It touches on 'embarrassing' aspects of Bipolar Dis., such as sexual promiscuity (my family could never handle a discussion re: my path down that road :)). It says 'take your medicine' if you have a Bipolar Disorder, but it also offers spiritual guidance. It also offers practical, secular ways to help live a more balanced life. All-in-all, it helped moi, who was raised in a born-again family, get over some of the guilt I still have re: this illness and the belief that I somehow should have been able to "handle" it myself. That God would not want someone taking medication to help with it. That it isn't real. Trust me, this came at a good time! The Dr.'s are good writers, good scientists, and good Christians. Yet, as a no-longer born-againer or really Christian, I did not find anything in it offensive (except perhaps that all the women were pretty much homemakers. :)). So it may be right for Christians and non-Christians alike.
	Motherless Daughters : The Legacy of Loss by Hope Edelman Recommended by allisonm: My cousin sent this book to me after I lost my mother. (She lost both her parents in a plane crash when she was in her early 20s.) It's a good book. Covers a lot not only about women who lost their mothers early but also about women whose mothers were not always there for them.
(no picture, sorry)	My Lover, Myself : Self Discovery Through Relationship by David Kantor Recommended by Dee: As far as rocky marriage, I am reading this book, which answers many of the questions I think we all ask: How two people get attracted to each other, why does the communication fail in most relationships, and what can we do to change that. It has helped me a lot to understand myself in a relationship.
	Necessary Losses : The Loves, Illusions, Dependencies, and Impossible Expectations That All of Us Have to Give Up in Order to Grow by Judith Viorst Recommended by Hannah: I'd like to recommend this book. I think the title sums it up. I don't think you should attempt to medicalize this very real and painful part of life. There comes a time in everyone's life when the awful losses that life involves including the realization of our own mortality start staring us down. I think one problem with all the Prozac ads is that pain is seen as abnormal, I think it's necessary for life.
	Night Falls Fast : Understanding Suicide by Kay Redfield Jamison Recommended by mars: I read this book when it came out. At the time I was very suicidal, and I found that the book helped me a great deal. Kay Redfield Jamison is such a compassionate, intelligent person, and while the book tells some painful stories, the emphasis is strongly on prevention. I felt that the book helped me to understand why I was vulnerable to suicidal ideation, and helped me to support myself during that difficult time. I'm not sure how it would affect you, but I was really glad I read it. More from ksvt: I didn't read it for a long time, I was afraid to do anything that would make me think about suicide more than I already do. Recently, I had a spare hour to kill while waiting to pick a kid up at a sports practice and I wandered into a local library and spent the hour skimming through this book. I'm in a pretty down period now and while i didn't read enough to gain the comfort or reassurance that mars referred to, it certainly didn't have the opposite effect either. The book in some places is very factual, and in some ways it was good for me to see it treated in an unemotional way. However, Dr. Jamison is also very empathetic, so there is emotion that flows through it also. Thisis a book about suicide so alot of the emotion comes from the perspective of the families. Lately it's been too easy for me to screen out thoughts of my own family when I do think about suicide, so it was good I think for me to confront that perspective as well. More from jay: Basically, EVERYTHING you wanted to know about suicide research is here. It will answer many questions, but not all of course. There are SO MANY mis-conceptions of what suicide is, as we as humans like to draw easy, quick answers. "Ohhh..s/he was depressed...that's why." Mental illness plays a role, but is NOT a direct cause of suicide. Please read up on the "science" of it, not just moralistic garbage, placing people at blame or just "accepting" it as part of a mental illness. There is FAR more than meets the eye.
	Noonday Demon : An Atlas of Depression by Andrew Solomon Recommended by AKC: Here is a book recommendation. I should wait until I have read more than the first 33 pages to recommend it. But here is an early passage that touched me deeply that I think is an indication of the talent of this writer. To set-up the passage, the writer has likened depression to a vine that sufficates the life out of a tree (his life) to the point that the vine itself is the life for the tree -- "I will be in treatment for depression for a long time. I wish I could say how it happened. I have no idea how I fell so low, and little sense of how I bounced up or fell again, and again, and again. I treated the presence, the vine, in every conventional way I could find, then figured out how to repair the absence as laboriously yet intuitively as I learned to walk or talk. I had many slight lapses, then two serious breakdowns, then a rest, then a third breakdown, and then a few more lapses. After all that, I do what I have to do to avoid further disturbances. Every morning and every night, I look at the pills in my hand: white, pink, red, turquoise. Sometimes they seem like writing in my hand, hieroglyphics saying that the future may be all right and that I owe it to myself to live on and see. I feel sometimes as though I am swallowing my own funeral twice a day, since without these pills, I'd be long gone. I go to see my therapist once a week when I'm at home. I am sometimes bored by our seessions and sometimes interested in an entirely dissociative way and sometimes have a feeling of epiphany. In part, from the things this man said, I rebuilt myself enough to be able to keep swallowing my funeral instead of enacting it. A lot of talking was involved: I believe that words are strong, that they can overwhelm what we fear when fear seems more awful than life is good. I have turned, with an increasingly fine attention, to love. Love is the other way forward. They need to go together: by themselves pills are a weak poison, love a blunt knife, insight a rope that snaps under too much strain. With the lot of them, if you are lucky, you can save the tree from the vine." (page 30) I hope you find this as meaningful as I did. More from Lorraine: I have been reading this book as well and have to say that I love it. It is very intellectual--which appeals to me. The author is smart, well educated, pretty wealthy, gay and depressed. The first two or three chapters, where he describes his own depression made me cry repeatedly because his descriptions were "dead on". I don't agree with everything he says--he is too willing to go down that "is depression a disease when almost everyone has it" road. But that wouldn't bother me if the book weren't being read by "outsiders". I enjoyed his stuff on depression in different cultures, different treatments and so forth. He has tried a bunch of different treatments and gives his take on them. Pretty much endorses EMR (that eye movement thing for PStd). The history section was a bit dull. But all in all a very good read. It's just in hardback so see if you can get it from the library or used. More from bob: I read this book. I thought is was a reasonable book, but I don't know how uplifting it is, especially for people like us that already have a problem. It is natural to start worrying that the experiences people have in his stories could somehow happen to you. I started worrying about things like that when I was reading it. Some of the things he tells about in there are quite horrific really. After I finished the book, it was on my mind for some weeks. It's good to know about other people's pain so that one doesn't feel so alone - but it's a double edged sword, especially when exposed to extreme cases like the ones he lays out. More from PaulB: I have now just finished reading this book. True, Andrew Soloman is a very good writer and the book is well-written and a good read. At first I was expecting a biography type book but it wasnt like that despite what we learn about Solomans experience with depression. Its like the subtitle says 'An Atlas Of Depression' and you learn more about depression than Soloman. The Notes at the back show how thoroughly researched this topic has been. Of the case studies of the victims of depression I thought Angel Starkey's was v-poignant although these are all sad tales. More from Phil: I was just reading a few pages from this book. This guy can write. Talked about depression worldwide, his own depression, the costs involved and how few people get adequate help. His words are so powerful. More from Wendy B.: I saw this book at the Barnes and Noble a few weeks ago, just walked by a table and picked it up because the title sounded interesting, never heard of Andrew Solomon, and I stood there reading it for about 45 minutes... It was fascinating More from jay: I have read the book many times now. A *ton* of excellent, well researched material on everything (almost!) you wanted to know about depression. More from Gabbi: I almost cried with relief reading this book. My first episode with Depression/Anxiety 10 years ago resulted in my being frightened of the bathtub and the phone. To see similar experiences written in his book was almost unbelievable. In retrospect though my fears weren't really as tangible as all that. I feel so fortunate, that My Dad heard about the book on C.B.C. and read it of his own volition or he never would have considered it "valid". If I'd asked him to read it, he wouldn't have bothered. I mean I could be lying with a knife in back, and he'd say "oh you've just been reading too many of those crime novels again" As it is his actions towards me have changed in every way. The rest of my family though, is still alienated by my "weakness", and refusal to 'grow up. My Dad is my only support (who I see)and that is soley because he read this book after he'd kicked me out for my "laziness" in March. He reads all books recommended on C.B.C. so the fact that it was about depression wasn't signifcant to him. The book has been the only significant comfort and help to me that isn't a medication. And I've as most of has read endlessly on the subject.
	The Omega-3 Connection: The Groundbreaking Anti-depression Diet and Brain Program by Andrew L. Stoll Recommended by Sulpicia: Stoll was able to demonstrate that a specific supplement of essential fatty acids helped bipolars prevent relapse, ergo cycling and destabilization. The downside is that all the bipolars were on mood stabilizers -- nobody stopped meds. The supplements were an adjuvant however fabulously successful. There is absolutely *no* evidence that essential fatty acids work alone.
	Organizing from the Inside Out: The Foolproof System for Organizing Your Home, Your Office, and Your Life by Julie Morgenstern Recommended by Jenna S.: This is one of the best books on hoarding. I have it and it has helped me. My hoarding is not a great deal and lots of people are far bigger packrats than me, but it is still a problem, and a problem which grows (literally) over time! Julie Morgenstern identifies various psychological issues which can be behind why people hoard. Keeping things for sentimental reasons is one of them, and one possible solution to this is to take a photo of the item to remind you of it. There are loads of other tips and ideas.
	One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Gregory Rabassa (Translator) Recommended by Dee: Just because it is a great book.
(no picture, sorry)	The Owner's Manual for the Brain by Pierce J. Howard Recommended by dj: This is an interesting overview of scientific theory and its applications. Some useful, interesting and very applicable research is outlined in this book in a simple, digestible and usable manner.
	Potatoes Not Prozac : A Natural Seven-Step Dietary Plan to Control Your Cravings and Lose Weight, Recognize How Foods Affect the Way You Feel, and Stabilize the Level of Sugar in Your Blood by Kathleen DesMaisons Recommended by ruth: No matter what camp you're in regarding depression and meds, this is a truly fascinating book about how sugar and simple carbohydrates affect our serotonin, insulin, and beta-endorphin levels! It's made me wonder if there's a connection between my sugar addiction and my depression. More from Sef: I read the book. I gave up all *simple* carbohydrates & condiments (I only ate complex ones, whole grains, etc., in moderation), ate lean meats (I normally don't eat much meat), had no alcohol, even baked my own bread (because I couldn't find a brand with all whole grains and no sugars or chemicals added). I even used soy milk instead of regular milk because of the lactose. I did this for 3 months and only ate *natural* foods. I also took Twin Lab multi-vitamins with minerals. I was not on Prozac at the time, but had been on it in the past and was trying not to go on it again. I ended up going back on Prozac. Maybe diet can work for some people, but it didn't for me. Normally my diet is almost all carbohydrates, that is why I thought it would work for me, but no luck! But maybe it is worth a try for you, people's bodies are all different. More from dj: My naturopath, who is involved in ongoing studies on alternative approaches to healing in conjunction with the Tzu Chi Institute for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the Vancouver General Hospital, first discussed diet issues with me and brought my attention to the diabetic diets which are much of the basis for the foci of this book, which I've read. This book is kinda light reading, but I believe the concept of moving toward complex carbohydrates. which raise your blood sugar more gradually, is sound. I think it's called a high glycemic diet, and you can find lots of information on appropriate food types on-line. For instance, excessively ripe bananas will give you more of a sugar rush than those that are not. The same is true with darker textures of rice and wheats, etc.
	The Power to Harm : Mind, Medicine, and Murder on Trial by John Cornwell Recommended by dj: Interesting insight into the legal maneuverings of Eli Lilly to cover their butts when Prozac's effects were questioned in U.S. courts. This book is not as well written as it could be but sufficient to provide some insights into the level of corruption in the so-called American justice system and the ability of those with big bucks to subvert the system to protect their investments, while undercutting truth and morality as well as dodging legitimate questions about the impacts of some of their medications.
	Prescription for Nutritional Healing: A Practical A-Z Reference to Drug-Free Remedies Using Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs & Food Supplements by James F. Balch, Phyllis A. Balch Recommended by Flutterbee: If you are into supplements at all and you want to do a little research this is a good book.
(no picture, sorry)	A Primer of Drug Action : A Concise, Nontechnical Guide to the Actions, Uses, and Side Effects of Psychoactive Drugs by Robert M. Julien Recommended by djmmm: for *anyone* taking antidepressant or anxiolytic drugs,I think this book should be read.
	Procrastination : Why You Do It, What to Do About It by Jane B. Burka, Lenora M. Yuen (Contributor) Recommended by Ann NY: I'm reading this great book, its not a quick fix, but it is really good.
	Prozac Backlash : Overcoming the Dangers of Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, and Other Antidepressants With Safe, Effective Alternatives by Joseph Glenmullen Recommended by Bekka H.: If you want to read an excellent, anti-medication book by someone who is sane, read this book. It's an excellent book and very well researched and annotated. Much of what you read there will be very disturbing, but at least you'll know it comes from someone who cites real research.
	The Psychology of Romantic Love by Nathaniel Branden Recommended by JennyR: This is a good book about love. I read it when searching for answers to questions from the perspective of being married for many years to someone who hasn't felt like a good match for me for many years, but I don't want to break up a family. I think even when you think you know it's the right person, and your heart is doing cartwheels, we don't see our blind spots. We don't see that we might be picking this person for the wrong reasons, unconscious reasons. I think your head and your heart have to agree, but that's still no guarantee you won't grow apart. Anyway, that book is good. He also wrote one called The Romantic Love Question and Answer Book which was very good.
	Psychotropic Drugs by Norman L. Keltner, David G. Folks Recommended by Bekka H.: This book was published by Mosby in 2001. Since it's already over a year old, it's starting to get a little outdated, but it's still an excellent resource, and it is not highly technical, so non-medical and non-scientific people can understand it.
	PTSD/Borderlines in Therapy : Finding the Balance by Jerome Kroll Recommended by trouble: Better to recommend this book, which made me long for the kind of treatment described within. It cost 40 dollars but to me it was worth it. He's so astute, I mean close the book and stare ito space smart, he's a humble skeptic, and he has that old-school attitude I trust, ie psychology is an exploration, it is about questions not answers. In over 20 years of non-stop therapy that's always who helps me, the ones who don't know for certain, so that's what I believe- answers in psychology are red flags, but today that's practically all you find-the Way, the Truth and the Life; research supported Religion. I read Dr. Kroll's book as an inspired introduction to my rude, rotten BPD self. He SO has the Borderline's number- and not in the goddamn behavioral sense like the other experts-what's so hard about describing Borderline behavior and labeling it dysfunctional? Plus, he proposes that Borderline Personality Disorder become a manifestation of PTSD, and the research has always been there to show the two conditions are co-occuring. He's not a conspiracy theorist but I sure as hell am and I can come up w/ plenty reasons why BPD is not a subset of PTSD. Obviously the latter is an insult, the former a reaction to external trauma, you poor thing. No stigma. Basically, Dr. Kroll's book about 20 case studies shows what's going on inside me, that's where I need my healers to go, and CBT therapies won't go there. So how am I going to stop the insane and fantastical projections and transferences that characterize the Borderline? It's a compulsion, the patterns repeat as if they have a life of their own. This is psychodynamic territory.
	The Real Vitamin and Mineral Book by Shari Lieberman, Nancy Pauline Bruning Recommended by mars: In my mid & late twenties I was on a serious health kick. One very helpful thing I did was educate myself about nutrition and supplements. My father is a scientist and I was raised to be very skeptical & wary of quackery, and a lot of the writers making claims about supplementation just weren't cutting it for me. I found a writer, Dr. Shari Lieberman, who did a column for a free paper on health food & supplements. I was really impressed by her column: she was very well educated (in the traditional sense - PhD in Clinical Nutrition, etc.) about nutrition and supplements, but was more open (less "reactively" skeptical is the way I describe it) to claims being made beyond the "Recommended Daily Allowance/Intake" school of supplementation. She has this terrific book out which has been recently updated. If you're just starting to read about nutrition and supplements, it's a great place to start, and an excellent reference (and nicely inexpensive). I can't recommend the book highly enough. The information (well documented) and advice she presents allowed me to navigate a contentious area and help myself a great deal. I'm trying to get going again with working with nutrition, and was very happy to find that she had recently updated the book from its first edition. p.s. Dr. Lieberman was briefly listed on Quack List. From what I have read about what happened, she was attacked unfairly. You can read about it. I have never used supplements developed by her (I have favorite brands I trust already), and only intend to recommend her book as a reliable source of information.
	Reinventing Your Life : How to Break Free from Negative Life Patterns and Feel Good Again by Janet S. Klosko, Jeffrey E. Young Recommended by Adam: I am of the opinion that cognitive-behavioral therapy, or variants thereof, are the best forms of psychotherapy out there. This is another excellent book. Again, Beck wrote the foreword. This book describes a new kind of therapy that the authors call "Lifetrap Therapy", essentially a CBT-slanted schema-based therapy that also integrates some aspects of other psychotherapeutic approaches (psychodynamic, inner-child, gestalt, etc.). It is essentially a book for personality disorders (not necessarily the kind you find in the DSM-IV, though I would imagine your classic BPD sufferer would benefit from this approach, given the etiology of such disorders). If you've suffered from depression, and your childhood had a lot of damaging influences (heavens knows mine did), this is an excellent book to get. I've read few self-help books that were as dead-on and realistic as this one, and if I had to start therapy over, I'd find a lifetrap therapist.
	A Return to Love : Reflections on the Principles of a Course in Miracles by Marianne Williamson Recommended by John: My first bout with depression a few years ago reminded me of just how spiritually empty I had become. Shortly after recovering from my depression a friend introduced me to this book, that blew me out of the water. It was the teachings of Jesus presented in a totally new manner. It changed my life and I would highly recommend the book to anyone looking for spiritual meaning to their life without the burden of organized religion and its dogma. Unfortunately to many Christian zealots the book is heresy. Make your own opinion. The book is a wonderful breath of fresh air that I believe would benefit anyone especially those of us suffering from depression or anxiety. More from dj: This book starts with some comments on her experience of depression and how it is a refection of our society and times. Very interesting book and she is a much clearer interpreter of the text than many. The text of the Course in Miracles, like the bible (which has lots of barbarism in it if one bothers to read beyond the usual pious quotes) is a bit thick going when it comes to making heads or tails of it. Williamson, interestingly, was brought up Jewish (as was the disciple Paul & many in that time) and is considered one of the foremost interpreters of this at times Byzantine text. I've heard at least two Catholic priests (forward looking ones) speak approvingly of the theology of the Course.
	The Road Less Traveled : A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values and Spiritual Growth by M. Scott Peck Recommended by Trey: This book quite literally changed my life. M. Scott Peck is a wonderfully gifted soul, and his words spoke so many of the vague and undefined thoughts and beliefs I had been trying to define all my life. As I read the book, I understood Peck's religious leanings as being very non-traditional and very non-Catholic. Or maybe I should say his views are way beyond Catholicism. What born-and-bred practicing Catholic could ever come to terms with the idea that we are all "gods in training?" I saw in his words a definite expansion from traditional Christianity into the realms of the metaphysical, which is the same spiritual path my soul has been taking.
(no picture, sorry)	Safe Uses of Cortisol by William Je