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Dealing with Depression



Book Review


Title: Why do I feel so sad? Your pathway to healing depression

Author: Dr Shefali Batra

Publisher: Jaico, 2023

Pages: 303

Mental health is as important as physical health, if not more so. Depression is a very common psychological problem all over the world and it requires due attention. By 2030, depression will be the second leading problem worldwide in the health sector, according to various studies. The WHO states that 75% of people with psychological problems do not receive any treatment. For 1.3 billion people, India has only 8,000 psychiatrists, as the Foreword to this book points out.

This book is an excellent companion and guide for anyone looking for help in dealing with depression. It gives you the theoretical frameworks related to each of the topics under consideration and then goes on to provide very practical solutions or suggestions.

The book is divided into five parts whose titles are self-explanatory.

1.     Know the enemy if you want to fight it

2.     Thoughts rule you, but when twisted they could fool you [Cognitive Behavioural Model of Depression]

3.     Pave the way for a new style of thinking [Techniques to break cognitive distortions]

4.     To start making it better, stop making it worse [Lifestyle and behavioural contributors to depression]

5.     This is the beginning of your new life

The chapters are interspersed with certain relevant exercises like the one below. They help us understand our problems with required clarity and then to grapple with them effectively. 

[Click on image to enlarge it.]

“The best student isn’t one with the highest IQ or sharpest memory, but one who’s willing to unlearn what hasn’t worked, and relearn from basics, what might,” the author tells us. Distorted thinking is an acute problem especially for those who are struggling with depression. Having gone through more than one serious bout of depression, I know how painfully wrong my thinking was in those days.

Making mistakes is not the problem. Not learning the lessons from them is. “Falling is not the same as failure.” When your actions lead you to your desired goal(s), you are a winner. Failing is missing the target. However, you don’t have to give up. Giving up is the real failure, in other words. “Failure is when you perform no action, don’t try, and resultantly don’t evolve at all.” Life is about endeavours. Achievements come along too. But it is important to remember that not every trek will get you to the summit.

It is worth taking this trek with Dr Shefali Batra if you are having problems with yourself psychologically. Let me end this brief review with yet another quote from the book. “To have depression is to have no motivation; no motivation to wake up, no motivation to socialize, no motivation to live. It is a crushing weight that you just need some support to lift.” This book is an eminent support you can rely on.

PS. This post is part of the Bookish League blog hop hosted by Bohemian Bibliophile.

 

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Comments

  1. Yamini MacLeanSeptember 17, 2024 at 3:29 PM

    Hari Om
    Good review of what appears to be a practical book. YAM xx

    ReplyDelete
  2. Liz A.September 18, 2024 at 9:18 AM

    Sounds like an informative book.

    ReplyDelete
  3. MELODY JACOBSeptember 18, 2024 at 8:31 PM

    This book offers a thorough and practical approach to understanding and managing depression. By combining theoretical frameworks with actionable advice and exercises, it seems like a valuable resource for anyone seeking to improve their mental health. Happy Wednesday. Wishing you the best week. Excited for you to read my new post: https://www.melodyjacob.com/2024/09/why-your-face-ages-and-how-to-address-it.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalSeptember 19, 2024 at 7:45 AM

      Yes, it's an eminently handy book for those who struggle with depression.

      Delete
  4. AmbicaSeptember 19, 2024 at 7:45 AM

    I like the fact that it has exercises. A call to action fulfills the purpose and gives and idea on how to go about shedding the weight. Depression has really become a plague as it becomes difficult to keep pace with the world.

    ReplyDelete

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