Overcoming Depression and Low Mood: A Five Areas Approach

381 Pages·2009·3.07 MB·English

by  Christopher Williams

Overcoming
Depression and
Low Mood
A Five Areas Approach
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Overcoming
Depression and
Low Mood
A Five Areas Approach
Third Edition
Dr Chris Williams
MBChBBScMMedSCMD
FRCPsychBABCPAccreditedCBTpractitioner
Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant
Psychiatrist, Section of Psychological Medicine,
Faculty of Medicine, University of Glasgow, UK
Helping you to help yourself
www.livinglifetothefull.com
www.fiveareas.com
FirstpublishedinGreatBritainin2001byArnold
Revised2002
Secondedition2006
Thisthirdeditionpublishedin2009byHodderArnold,animprintof
HodderEducation,anHachetteUKcompany,338EustonRoad,London
NW13BH
http://www.hoddereducation.com
©2009DrChrisWilliams
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Contents
Introduction ix
Part 1 Understanding why you feel as you do
Starting out ... and how to keep going if you feel stuck 3
Understanding why you feel as you do 19
Part 2 Making changes
Making changes to do with people and events
Practical problem solving 51
Being assertive 77
Building relationships with your family and friends 93
Information for families and friends – how can you offer the best
support? 111
Making changes to behaviours and activity levels
Doing things that boost how you feel 137
Using exercise to boost how you feel 173
Helpful things you can do 189
Unhelpful things you do 213
Overcoming anxiety and avoidance 241
Making changes to negative and upsetting thinking
Noticing and changing extreme and unhelpful thinking 271
Making changes to things that affect your bodily well-being
Overcoming sleep problems 299
Alcohol, drugs and you 319
Understanding and using anti-depressant medication 335
Making changes for the future
Planning for the future 347
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Introduction
WelcometoOvercomingDepressionandLowMood:AFiveAreasApproach.Thisbookis
designedtoactivelyhelpyou:
(cid:2) Learnimportantinformationabouthowdepressioncanaffectyourlife.
(cid:2) Workoutwhyyouarefeelingasyoudo.
(cid:2) Learnandpractisesomeprovenpracticalskillstohelpchangehowyoufeel.
Byfollowingtheclearlydescribedpracticaltoolsintheseworkbooks,youcanmake
helpfulchangestoyourlife.
Who are the workbooks for?
Youmaybeusingtheworkbooksforyourself,orperhapsyouareaclosefriendorfamily
memberwantingtoknowmoreaboutdepressionandhowtohelp.Manyhealthcare
practitionersalsousetheworkbooksinthisseriestosupportthosetheyworkwith.
Self-helpapproachescanbeusedbypeoplewithproblemsrangingfrommild
distressthroughtomoreseveredepression.Thekeythingisthatyoufeelabletouse
thematerialsandwanttousethisapproach.
Using the workbooks
Thecourseinvolvesreadingthecourseworkbooksandalsoworkingonproblemsby
puttingintopracticethethingsyouarelearning.Pickingtherighttimetodothecourse
isimportant.Forexample,ifyourconcentration,energyormotivationlevelsarefar
lowerthanusual,youmayfinditveryhardtokeepyourmindonthingsortomake
changes.Otherapproachessuchasanti-depressantmedicationsmaybemore
appropriatefirst–allowingyoutocomebacktousetheworkbooksatatimewhenyou
areabletogetthemostfromthem.Ifyoufindthatyoustruggletousetheworkbooks,
oryoufeelworseasyouworkthroughthem,pleasediscussthiswithyourdoctoror
otherhealthcarepractitioner.Thecourseisnotmeanttoreplacegettingtherightlevel
ofsupportformoreseverementalhealthproblems.
Which workbook should you use first?
Thereisnorightorwrongwaytousetheworkbooks.Manypeoplefindithelpfulto
firstreadthetwoworkbooksinPart1(StartingoutandUnderstandingwhyyoufeelasyou
do).Thisisbecausetheseworkbooksgiveyouanoverviewoftheapproach.
WorkingthroughtheseworkbookswillalsohelpyoutodecidewhichoftheMaking
ChangesworkbooksinPart2ofthebookyoushouldread.Youcanuseasmanyoras
fewworkbooksinthecourseasyouwish.Youwillfeelmostmotivatedtotrytomake
changesifyouusetheworkbooksthattackleproblemsyouhavenoticedinyourlife
andthatyouwanttochange.
OvercomingDepressionandLowMood:AFiveAreasApproach ©DrChrisWilliams(2009)