Product Description

Caroline Carr's book follows her own story of coping with a partner who gradually slid into depression and - eventually - came out of it again. Although their relationship was changed, it survived, and she describes how she felt and the strategies she used to cope. She has talked to many other people whose partners have suffered from depression and she uses these as case studies throughout the book. She also gives a mass of practical advice, some she used at the time and some learnt later, to help others going through the same stressful experience.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #233210 in Books
• Published on: 2007-01-25
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 124 pages

Review
'This is by far the best book to have been written by a carer of a depressed partner. It is moving, practical, down to earth and personal. Above all it is warm...This book is an obligatory read.' Paul Lanham, Vice-President of Depression Alliance

From the Back Cover
How can you cope when your partner is depressed?

Living with someone who is depressed is one of the loneliest feelings in the world. There's help out there for your partner, but what about you?

Find out how you can get the support you need, whilst supporting your partner at the same time. Author Caroline Carr writes from personal experience, sharing her own story of what happened when her partner of 20 years became depressed. She shares advice and strategies on:

-Looking after yourself and your family
-How to support your partner
-Understanding depression
-Where to get help.

Caroline's very honest account will show you how she and others like her coped, and how you can too.

About the Author
Caroline Carr is a hypnotherapist, life coach and author. Her work has spanned areas as diverse as theatre, television, education and the criminal justice system. She works with people individually, and also in groups, where she delivers courses on self-development and interpersonal communication skills. When her life partner of twenty years became depressed it was a shock. She needed advice - but couldn't find the right kind quickly enough. This is what inspired her to write Living With the Black Dog.

Customer Reviews

Thank you Caroline!
I ordered 'Living with the Black Dog' as soon as I saw Caroline talking about it on TV. This book has helped me so much. As I sped through it, I could draw parallels with my own situation. My husband has been depressed for two years, and it has been the most perplexing and miserable time of my life. Our whole family has been affected. It is so helpful to read how this experience has been for someone else, and it's also been useful to read other people's stories in the case studies she uses. There are loads of tips on how to help yourself to cope. I wish I'd known about some of these before. One thing I have found liberating is the realization that it is OK to distance myself. Caroline Carr explains how to do this, and she even gives examples of ways to speak to someone who is depressed. The whole thing is fascinating really. Thanks Caroline - I'd reccommend this to anyone who lives with someone who is depressed.

Quick Read, No Quick Fixes - Uplifting.
This is a short book, easy to read (which is very helpful when you are faced with dealing with a depressed individual and feeling confused and at a loss what to do yourself). There are many self-help books out there, some heavy going - I have ploughed through several making notes! This one lightens the load and helps you to remember to take care of yourself too, rather than allowing yourself to be dragged down. It is also very reassuring to find that your experiences are similar to other people's and that you are not alone and nor are you the cause of the problem.

Well Written
I managed to read this book in one sitting as it was so easy to read. There are some nice light humorous comments at times and you do feel for the author and the situation. There are plenty of useful tips on how to deal with a depressed person but i have dropped one star off the rating because unfortunatly my situation is quite different and i couldn't relate to most things. On the whole i would recommend however - there is lots of useful info on depression in general and some useful contacts.