Product Description

It is recognised by the World Health Organisation as one of the Top 10 most disabling health conditions. Behavioural Activation, a therapy developed from CBT, is an effective new technique in managing depression and ideally suited to self-help. By analysing, challenging and changing behaviours such as avoidance, ruminating and excessive worrying, the sufferer can gradually reinforce their positive experiences and decrease the behaviour which reinforces their depression. This title includes worksheets and practical problem-solving techniques. It adopts a step-by-step approach to analysing and changing behaviours. It includes an explanation of depression and associated behaviours and case studies. It is written by leading clinicians in the field.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #39500 in Books
• Published on: 2007-09-27
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

About the Author
Dr. David Veale is Consultant Psychiatrist at The Priory Hospital, North London and a professional advisor to and former chairman of the charity OCD Action. Rob Willson is Head Cognitive-Behavioural Therapist at The Priory Hospital.

Customer Reviews

A really useful kick off point for beating depression
Beating depression takes a lot of effort and this book clearly advises the reader on where to focus their energy. It's plainly laid out and user friendly. Practitioners will also benefit from following the treatment strategies discussed. There are plenty of useful forms and techniques to facilitate self help and serve to guide practitioners in helping clients to overcome depression. Highly recommended.

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Its a good book that has a lot of useful information on depression. My only criticism is the grossly outdated information contained in it about cannabis. Many people who suffer from depression who use cannabis as a way to cope with the illness and will be turned off by the outdated and plain incorrect 1960s drug propaganda contained in the book about it. Here are the incorrect claims / propaganda:

1) The strength of cannabis is much higher than in the 1960s. "remember that cannabis has become more potent in the past ten years" - completely false and proven to be so. The higher the THC levels, the safer the plant is. Since when smoked, less plant material is burned compared to low THC cannabis. Users smoke to reach a certain level of intoxication. Cannabis intoxication and dose response is nothing like that of alcohol.
2) The claim about two years imprisonment - a good way to scare people into stopping, but ultimately towing the government propaganda line and not helping your readers one bit. The reality is that police and courts have far more important crimes to deal with like domestic violence and murder.
3) The claim that there is a lot of evidence that frequent cannabis use can result in mental health problems - false and not backed by a single scientific study. In most cases users with problems have a pre-existing condition.
4) The claim that it causes impotence and low sperm count. - completely false and based on zero scientific evidence.

Ultimately, compared to alcohol, cannabis is a safe and effective drug when used in moderation. Making false claims like this in a book aimed at desperate and depressed people is dishonest.

Cannabis addiction can well be a problem, but this specific problem is not helped in any way by the repetition of outdated in incorrect drug propaganda designed to scare users into quitting through deception. The truth is a far more powerful tool than the lies we invent to shape our desires.

Apart from this, the book gives a lot of good strategies for trying to overcome depression with a lot of emphasis on practical examples. And so I give it 3/5