the best to deal with grief
it’s okay to be unwell: coping with grief and loss in a culture that doesn’t understand
- price: $
- who is it best for: people who want to learn how to live with grief
Written as a response to society treating grief as something to be fixed and removed from our lives as quickly as possible, “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay” shares Megan Devine’s approach to dealing with painful loss or life. devastating events. she notes, “grief is simply love at its wildest and most painful…it’s a natural and healthy response to loss.”
Megan, who experienced grief as a therapist and witnessed her partner’s accidental drowning, eschews the idea of returning to a “normal” life. instead, he replaces it with a happy medium of creating a healthy life with pain.
You are reading: Good books for depression
In this featured book from the new york times, reader’s digest, huffpost, and npr’s radio times, you’ll get sound advice, wisdom, stories, research, life advice, and creative, awareness-based practices for dealing with and living with grief.
unstuck: your guide to the seven-stage journey out of depression
- price: $$$
- who is it best for: those seeking a holistic approach
Sometimes psychotherapy and antidepressants just don’t work for people struggling with mental health issues. In his book, Unstuck: Your Guide to the Seven-Stage Journey Out of Depression, James Gordon uses his pioneering 40-year career in psychiatry to bring you a seven-stage process that can work.
Using a combination of nutritional supplements and food, movement, exercise and dance, Chinese medicine, meditation, psychotherapy, guided imagery, and spiritual practice, Gordon shows readers that there are other methods of coping with depression.
depression, anxiety and other things we don’t want to talk about
- price: $
- who is it best for: those who believe in god and value spirituality
Pastor and psychotherapist Ryan Casey Waller believes that we are not meant to deal with the mental illness with which we struggle. In his book, “Depression, Anxiety, and Other Things We Don’t Want to Talk About,” he points out that mental health problems are not a symptom of spiritual failure or lack of faith, and that the battle doesn’t need to be lonely and daunting like it is. experience so many.
waller combines clinical insight with practical theology and deep empathy, inviting us to talk about mental health unashamedly and discover why self-awareness matters. she encourages us to explore how psychology, biology and spirituality intersect and discover different ways to heal.
the depression cure: the 6-step program to beat depression without drugs
- price: $
- who is it best for: those who prefer or need to avoid drugs
It is no coincidence that rates of depression have increased in our modern, fast-paced society.
In “The Depression Cure,” Stephen Ilardi, Ph.D., reminds us that human minds and bodies were not designed to function well with poor eating and sleeping habits and long working hours.
takes us back to basics, using examples of techniques to combat depression that are inspired by populations like the Kaluli of Papua, New Guinea, who are still untouched by modern technology.
ilardi is an associate professor of clinical psychology at the university of kansas and conducts research on mental health and depression. his program, therapeutic lifestyle change (tlc), is based on years of clinical research. largely revolves around lifestyle changes, such as physical activity and social connection, for antidepressant benefit.
The Mindful Path Through Depression: Breaking Free from Chronic Unhappiness
- price: $$$
- who is it best for: those looking to bring mindfulness into their lives
Mindfulness is a Buddhist philosophy that began about 2,600 years ago. psychologists believe the real mental health benefits may come from breathing and being in the moment.
j. g mark williams, dphil, john d. teasdale, phd, zindel v. Segal, PhD, and Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD, are the authors of The Mindful Path Through Depression. in it, they emphasize how trying to simply “get out” of depression can lead to more negative feelings. they also explore other methods to overcome those negative feelings.
Mindfulness has many benefits, including stress reduction, anxiety control, and better emotional health. this book does a great job of explaining how mindfulness works to combat a negative thought process and how you can use it to help with depression.
the upward spiral: using neuroscience to reverse the course of depression, one small change at a time
- price: $$$
- who is it best for: those who like to understand how things work
There is a science behind how depression works. causes can be biological or circumstantial, or a combination of both, such as brain chemistry, hormones, family history, medical conditions, and substance abuse.
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In his book “The Upward Spiral,” neuroscientist Alex Korb, PhD, explains the process in your brain that causes depression.
Using this information, he outlines tips on how you can apply neuroscience research to rewire your brain toward healthier, happier thinking.
This book is great for people with depression or people who just want to get a better look at how our brains work and how we deal with different emotions.
the antidote: happiness for people who can’t stand positive thinking
- price: $$
- who is it best for: those who find happiness in the unconventional
this is a self help book for people who hate self help books. not everyone is prepared to respond to the promise of positivity.
“The Antidote” takes a more existential approach. this book explores how embracing some negative feelings and experiences as part of life can be really uplifting.
many people find that some aspects of life, such as money, romance and family, do not fully satisfy them. while this certainly doesn’t apply to everyone, this book is written specifically for people whose happiness may revolve around other things.
Depression Free, Naturally: 7 Weeks to Eliminate Anxiety, Despair, Fatigue, and Anger from Your Life
- price: $$
- who is it best for: those looking to lead a natural lifestyle
It has been said that you are what you eat. nutritionist joan mathews larson, phd, believes that imbalances and deficiencies are the cause of depression and anxiety. Some vitamins, herbs, and supplements and types of foods have been found to help people with depression, including vitamin d, the ketogenic diet, and certain teas.
in “free from depression, naturally,” offers tips for emotional healing and suggestions for foods, vitamins and minerals to improve health and keep depression at bay.
The book allows self-assessment for certain behavioral symptoms, followed by a guided plan to help naturally heal your mind and body and become a healthier you overall.
the midday demon: an atlas of depression
- price: $$
- who is it best for: those seeking multiple perspectives
Depression is not a one-size-fits-all mood disorder. it can affect everyone differently, and “the midday demon” attempts to shed light on that.
author andrew solomon explores depression from various angles, including personal, scientific, and cultural perspectives. his account includes his personal struggle and experience and the experiences of those he interviewed, including others with depression, doctors, legislators, and drug designers. he also discusses the ethics of the biological questions raised by the disease.
Learn why depression and its treatments are so complex from many different perspectives, including people who live with it.
feel good: the new mood therapy
- price: $$
- who is it best for: those looking to break specific negative patterns
Certain negative thought patterns, such as guilt, pessimism, and low self-esteem can fuel depression.
In “feeling good,” psychiatrist dr. David Burns describes techniques to help break these patterns by recognizing and dealing with them.
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The book guides you to thoughts that help with addiction, mood swings, guilt, hostility, and other negative feelings.
The latest edition of this book also includes a guide to antidepressants and more information on treatment options for depression.
change your brain, change your life
- price: $
- who is it best for: those who want science-backed evidence behind the advice
Contrary to the old adage, you can actually teach an old dog new tricks. Did you know that this also applies to retraining your brain? many of us deal with unhealthy thought patterns that we would greatly benefit from abandoning. The good news is that we can change our thought patterns. it just takes work.
in his book “change your brain”, the psychiatrist dr. Daniel Amen uses scientific evidence to provide “brain recipes” that help you retrain your mind. For depression, he offers tips for dispelling negative automatic thoughts (ants) that lower our self-esteem, hinder decision-making, and strain our relationships.
gives advice on a range of mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, and anger, among many others.
get rid of depression: what therapy doesn’t teach you and medication can’t give you
- price: $$$
- who is it best for: those who want to break bad habits
“undo depression” takes a practical approach to combating depression. Richard O’Connor, PhD, a practicing psychotherapist, focuses on the aspects of this condition that are under our control: our habits.
The book offers tips and techniques on how to replace depressive thought patterns and behaviors with healthier approaches.
live the catastrophe fully
- price: $$
- who is it best for: those who want to relieve stress and live in the present
In our fast-paced society, it’s easy to overlook the amount of stress and the profound effect it can have on our mood and well-being.
“Living Fully in Disaster Situations” teaches mindfulness habits to help you live in the moment and relieve daily stress. The book combines mind-body approaches, such as meditation and yoga, to help you reduce stress and improve overall well-being.
furiously happy: a funny book about horrible things
- price: $
- who is it best for: those who love to laugh
“furiously happy” is derived from author jenny lawson’s years of first-hand experience with depression and other conditions.
while living with severe depression, lawson managed to find light in the darkness and shares it with his readers. as she says, “I have often thought that severely depressed people have developed such a capacity for experiencing extreme emotions that they could experience extreme joy in a way that ‘normal people’ could never understand either. And that’s what ‘furiously happy’ is all about.”
The book highlights depression and mental illness, as well as Jenny’s focus on the joy she has found.
spark: the revolutionary new science of exercise and the brain
- price: $
- who is it best for: those who love to move
Exercise does more than keep you fit and prevent heart disease. it is actually a powerful ally against depression and anxiety.
“spark” explores the mind-body connection to explain how and why aerobic exercise is effective in reducing symptoms of various mental conditions.
The book strives to help readers not only eliminate depression, but also increase intellect, improve memory, improve mood, and beat stress.
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