Dealing with Depression Naturally: Alternatives and Complementary Therapies for Restoring Emotional Health

by Syd Baumel

Book Overview

From the cutting edge of natural antidepressant research, here is new information on St. John's wort, SAMe, bright light therapy, and other proven natural remedies for depression. This fully updated second edition explores emotional health, including mood-enhancing fats and herbal antidepressants.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0658002910
• ISBN13: 9780658002915
• Release Date: April 2000
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Companies
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

THE book on depression

If you're looking to treat depression without using drugs, this is the book to get. The book is packed with almost every type of therapy known to cure depression. If there's any academic research on the subject, Baumel mentions the study and also tells us whether it's an uncontrolled or controlled study (something I appreciate as an academic). He usually explains how the study was conducted in enough detail that it can be replicated at home. This means that he included supplement dosages and length of time needed to see results. He also mentions how to purchase St. John's Wort and light therapy devices, which could save hundreds of dollars. The way to use this book is to read the therapy, see if it matches your symptoms, decide whether you're willing to make the commitment (e.g., am I willing to take B6 for the next 6 months?), and then to try it. I had to try several different therapies until I found ones that worked for me. If one didn't work for me, I would read another section of this book and choose a new therapy to try. One problem with the book is that it covered some therapies in limited detail, and sometimes I needed to look up additional information in other sources. Before getting this book, I tried looking up information online, but there was too much noise rather than real information to get any use out of what I was reading. This book cut through the noise and gave a concise summary of therapies that I could use to help myself. In summary, the book is well-researched and an excellent resource. Using this book plus some free online information, I cured my moderate chronic depression in three months without drugs. Thank you, Syd Baumel, for writing this book!

BEST OF THE CHOICES

As a psychologist wanting my clients to be educated on the biochemistry of depression and possible solutions, I have found this to be the best of all the alternatives I have read. It discusses all the treatments rather than focusing on one alone, as many books do. It is well written, easy to understand, and treats the reader as if he or she is intelligent enough to grasp a good deal of information. I think this book would help everyone in therapy, and would also help therapists in their attempts to help.

Before you take prozac

Forget about "touchy feely" talk about herbal remedies. If you're a skeptic, this book will change your mind about St. John's Wort and what BRAND you buy. Covers a staggering number of therapies in great detail: some you probably know like electric shock therapy, Prozac and cognitive therapy. Other lesser known therapies include Omega-3, 5-HTP, SAM-e, and Tyrosine. The author did his homework. Citing numerous clinical trials, studies, and on-line news groups, I found this reading a bit overwhelming or too dry at times, but only because of the author's thorough investigation. All in all, it was well worth it. Makes your doctors sit up and take notes when you talk about how YOU want to treat your depression. (that alone is worth it). An excellent reference that grows with you as your treatment for depression evolves.

Both in-depth and easy to understand

This book covers everything, and I mean everything in the realm of non-drug and non-electroshock therapies for depression. Each chapter goes into great detail both on background and practical application for each therapy, whether it's nutritional supplements, cognitive therapy, bodywork, or medical causes and their treatments. Even if you want to continue with drug therapy, this book is useful for the "what next?" or "what can I do in addition?" stages. It's also well-written, with very human flashes of humor.

Excellent review of alternatives for treating depression.

This book covers many alternatives to treating depression, most of which employ readily obtainable vitamins and herbs, or feature cognitive or exercise programs. The author urges readers to rate the options as they read each chapter, and to return to those that appeared promising. Many treatments are accompanied by bullet lists to help readers assess their applicability to their present situation. While the author does not go into very much depth, he does help readers sort through options and determine plans, as well as locate additional material for each alternative