Depression confuses the mind, strips away hope, and causes people to blame themselves for an illness they never asked for. Right now, the whole concept of depression is being reexamined and recognized to form a spectrum of problems, from common depression on one end to full bipolar disorder on the other. In between are huge numbers of people who don’t have bipolar disorder but don’t have common depression either. They’re in the middle of the mood spectrum, and this book is for them. The book helps readers identify what type of depression they have; walks them through the variety of treatments now available, both medical and alternative (lifestyle changes); and presents the most important things readers and their families can do to help themselves and their loved ones. This book comes on a wave of increasing understanding of mood disorders and their treatment and will offer readers hope in the face of debilitating mental challenges. About the Authors: Chris Aiken, MD, is the director of the Mood Treatment Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and lives in Winston-Salem. James Phelps, MD, is director of the Mood Disorders program at Samaritan Mental Health in Corvallis, Oregon, which serves a five-hospital system. |