Product Description

This second book from Matthew Johnstone, author of I Had a Black Dog, is an equally touching and beautifully illustrated book, written for those who care for those suffering from depression – friends, family members, colleagues, and even therapists. Using wonderful illustrations and the image of Churchill’s infamous ‘black dog’, Matthew and his wife Ainsley offer a moving, inspirational and often humorous portrait of life with depression – not only for those suffering from it themselves, but for those close to them. Living with a Black Dog speaks directly to the carer and offers practical and sometimes tongue-in-cheek tips on helping the depression sufferer, such as ‘Socks have little do with mental health. If people could just ‘snap out of it’ they would.’ and ‘Encourage any form of regular exercise. Fitness robs the Dog of its power’. Based on their own experiences, Matthew and his wife Ainsley treat the subject of depression sympathetically, hopefully and, most importantly, humorously.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4076 in Books
• Published on: 2009-01-29
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 80 pages

Review
As a mental health nurse, I am always on the lookout for quality material to give to carers. This fits the bill. --Nursing Standard, 4-star review

Book of the Week --Mail on Sunday's YOU magazine

Comprehensive and very helpful ... brilliant. --Guardian Weekend magazine, recommended by Dr. Tom Smith

About the Author
Matthew Johnstone is an artist, writer and exhibited photographer. New Zealand born, he’s worked in advertising in Sydney, San Francisco and New York. He now resides in Sydney with his family. He and his wife Ainsley know exactly what it’s like to live with a ‘black dog’ in your midst. Matthew has experienced the hell of depression while Ainsley has first-hand experience of the frustration and confusion almost always felt by those around them. Together they offer practical and helpful advice as well as moving and often humorous insights based on their own experiences.

Customer Reviews

Insightful
As someone who has a black dog of his own I sometimes find it difficult to describe my emotions and how black the mood can actually get. My wife found this book extremely useful in helping her to understand just how debilitating depression is. Instead of her watching me suffer this book has empowered her to take a more pro-active role in my recovery whilst still looking after herself. This book emphasizes the need for the carer to also take care of themselves. I think this book is written coherently and inspires hope and shows us how relationships can strengthen and not crumble because of this condition. So if the black dog is in your house maybe this book can help with the communication side of things, it certainly helped me. Take care...

A useful resource for depressed people and their families
This book is written in a smililar way to 'I Have A Black Dog'. It is easy to read and non time consuming. It helps to re-assure people with depression and their families that the experiences they are having are a normal part of the illness. It leaves the readers with an air of hope and shows they are far from alone. May even be useful to show children of people with depression.
Also has a list of resources at the back for further help.

I love these books and think they should be in GP waiting rooms!

On the money
Matthew and Ainsley Johnstone tell it like it is. Filled with simple but lucid insights into both depression and being on the receiving end. It offers a perfect vehicle for a couple dealing with a potential relationship-breaker in a mature and calm way. Particularly useful for defusing and explaining the likely flashpoints. Highly recommended.