Depression Books

Unfortunately the author seems to know little of theology, so he is forced to compare religious praxis with scientific theory. It's the equivalent of comparing how people behave with theories of human behavior. For example, he has the religious devotee going to heaven, becoming bored and depressed, and asking his god whether that's all there is. It's a child's picture of an afterlife that he compares with an adult's understanding of science. With straw men like this, science certainly seems more palatable than religous belief.
Most (all?) of his objections to religious belief have been thrashed out before and dealt with more scientifically than the author seems to realize. The entire piece is philosophically naive, which is unfortunate because the desire to know is a common ground of science, religion, philosophy, and a dynamic picture of heaven. The third instinct could have been seen as a uniting rather than a dividing principle.The Third Basic Instinct: How Religion Doesn't Get You

As a woman watching the opening ceremony for the Beijing Olympics, I was
reminded of the importance of books like Alex S. Key's " The Third Basic Instinct."
During the Saudi, Afghan, and United Arab Emirates' procession of athletes, we all heard Matt Lauer and Bob Costas discuss the fact that these countries do not allow women to play sports or compete. In many countries women are not even allowed to travel without a chaperone, ride a bike or drive a car. This book does a great job of highlighting the dangers of religious conformism, but it does so much more. It provides a new awareness of how the mind works and can actually educate people - and you don't have to have a PHD to read it. Living in the US were religious conformism is gaining a new foothold, I hope that more people will read this book to preserve our lifestyle of human rights and tolerance - and for some parts of the world, perhaps one day provide it for the
first time.

This is a thought provoking, yet immensely readable book. The author articulates how religion may be inhibiting scientific discovery, innovation, and emotional intelligence. He respectfully makes his points with humor, science and historical data. The Third Basic Instinct is certain to open eyes.

As someone who grew up in a Christian household, I was really intrigued when I heard about this book as it gave a well-written, researched and thought-provoking study on the other side of religion - how science could be the greatest belief system of all. The author obviously knows his stuff and is very well educated on this topic. He uses humor, stories and real world events to really drive home the overall theme of the book - the conflict between organized religion and human nature. Highly recommended!

This book is in four parts, each like its own small book with sub-sections.

Part One: The Case Against Pleasure. (4/5) In this part, Key uses the three basic instincts to create a framework for understanding the mind and religion. His "case against pleasure" means convincing the reader that pleasure is not one of those basic instincts--so then what is it? He gives dramatic real-world examples to answer this. He reveals the third basic instinct, showing how it has been behind some of humanity's greatest achievements through the ages. Only at the end does religion come into the picture, where Key shows how religion takes advantage of how our minds work instead of explaining it.

Part Two: The Origin of God. (5/5) In this part, Key explains how all religions began by using basic instincts as a guide. He again uses dramatic and sometimes stunning true stories to convince us, taking us as far back as pre-historic times, ancient Egypt, the American revolution, etc. Part Two is perhaps the most entertaining part of the book for its array of true-life stories and religious anomalies.

Part Three: Selfish Morality. (4/5) Here, Key creates a rule called the "platinum rule", to improve upon the "golden rule". He describes scientifically accepted models for moral behavior and then shows how they all fall under the platinum rule. He shows how religion can go against true moral behavior and become a negative influence on society. He remains balanced between Islam, Christianity and Judaism, while positive role models like Warren Buffet, Mark Twain and others provide an optimistic tone.

Part Four: Unnatural Selection. (5/5) By far the most controversial part of the book, but also the most concentrated in terms of the many theories it covers in short order. The controversy is provided by examinations of the origin of jihad, honor crimes against women, and other cultural horrors. He discusses these in the context of their impact on human evolution today. The science is also edgier as Key puts forward a shocking theory on how sports originated and how oil affects evolution. The book ends on a dramatic and optimistic note, but it is a conditional optimism.

Although each part is self-contained, Key succeeds in maintaining continuity using basic instincts to tie the varying points together. Ultimately, this book is a success, with one caveat. Its ambitious aim, according to the foreword, is to provide a framework for understanding the mind and religion. In many ways it accomplishes this, and remains entertaining and sixth-grade readable along the way. However, it occasionally provides so much information that it may not be suited for every audience. Its four parts could easily have become four separate books and gained the benefit of allowing the reader more time to absorb each concept and breathe along the way.

Though flawed in trying to take on so much (and losing one star in my rating as a result), it ultimately ranks among the upper echelons of secular popular science books and one of the easiest books in its class to read.

Thank God for this book. I am going through hell with anxiety and clinical depression. This book has coping strategies. I think most readers know something about clinical depression. Yet it is the combination of clinical depression and anxiety that is so devestating. This book attacks the combination.

The hardest part is that one can't stop when in this sickness. The only solution is to keep going. Hence, the perfect title for this book which is "When Going Through Hell, Don't Stop." If one stops, then one drowns in the condition.

I appreciated his thoroughness. Lots of web sites to contact for all types of depression. Also a strong focus on spirituality. It gives everyday help.

When Going Through Hell...Don't Stop! is a monumental work. It offers a compelling story of one person's valiant struggle against a life-threatening depressive illness as well as a comprehensive self-help manual on treating depression. What I liked most is that the book is so accessible. It lays out practical coping strategies that a person suffering from depression or their caregiver can use on a daily basis. I also like that the author was healed by spiritual intervention, showing that alternatives do exist when drugs don't work. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is struggling with depression or anxiety, or to anyone who wants to give a loved one with a depressive disorder the gift of hope.

This book was very easy to read. It was helpful to know how the author felt during his depressive episodes and how he managed his symptoms. I learned a lot about the different Depressions (and its symptoms). And how to find help and support while I am battling my Major Depression and Anxiety. I feel that I am not the only one who suffers from Depression. The Depression and Anxiety rating chart is an excellent idea and it helps me track my moods on a daily basis.

Since reading When Going Through Hell...Don't Stop I have put its coping strategies to use in helping a good friend recover from depression and anxiety. So far, there has been definite improvement in his depression. Everyone involved is thankful for Mr. Bloch's sound words of advice. This book has a wellspring of information to offer for anyone who is suffering from depression or their friends and caregivers.

I ordered this book because a family member suffers from depression and was having problems dealing with certain tasks at work. I wish this book had been around a long time ago. One of the reasons this book is so good is that the authors speak from personal experience. The advice you are given is based on what worked or works for them and the other people whose stories are also talked about in the book.

The suggestion that you take Myers-Briggs test to determine what your best suited for in regards to work is VERY helpful. I've taken this test and I was able to see just what areas I could work in and also that I had more choices than I originally thought. This test is wonderful for anyone!

Many employers are not prepared to deal with the subject of depression. This book is a must have tool for human resources so more people are educated on the real story behind the illness and dismiss the stereotype of a depressed person. It is VERY true what the author says about some bosses who don't want to know more on the subject and that they can't understand it and just throw their hands up and say that the employee can't do anything. My loved one is going through it right now. It is terrible and uncalled for.

I can't say enough good things about WORKING IN THE DARK. It really is a must have book.

I highly recommend this book. The authors share their own personal experiences along side valuable factual advice. This book is not only for those going through depression, HR employees also benefit from reading Working in the Dark. There are no other books on this specific subject which is fine because Working in the Dark covers all of the information you need. It is well written and easy to read. The authors are not "preachy" in discussing the topic as is common in self-help books.

I bought this book when I began having difficulties at work due to my depression and I'm glad I did. It covers everything from how to disclose your illness to your boss/co-workers (if you decide to), your rights under the American Disabilities Act and Family Medical Leave Act, resources within your department/company that can advocate for you and much, much more. You're more protected than you know - and you *should* know - even if your depression is under control this is still a valuable book to have in case the darkness returns. Did you know that if you decide to disclose personal medical information to your boss that he/she cannot use that information against you in any way including talking to colleagues, other managers, supervisors, or co-workers? Did you know that you cannot be fired for disclosing your mental illness? Did you know that if you need to take time off due to your condition that when you return to work you must be placed back in your previous position with your same pay? Don't get me wrong - and as the book states - you certainly can be fired for poor job performance - but you have tools at your disposal to help you and your supervisor keep the communication open and clear. This book saved my job - and my sanity. If you're struggling at work because of depression - GET THIS BOOK.

Given the amount of stigma that still surrounds depression and mental illness in general, this book is an essential resource. It's matter-of-fact and practical; the information about confidentiality and job protection is particularly helpful. We should all know our rights in the workplace, and Working in the Dark can be a real source of empowerment.

I purchased this for a close friend who was battling depression while holding down an intensely demanding job. She found the book to be profoundly helpful and has since recommended it to several of her co-workers.

Unlike may authors in his field, John Preston set out to write a book that conveyed useful information that could easily be understood by a reasonably intelligent reader. He has succeeded.

At the outset, he divides depression into two separate categories, Psychological Depressions and Biological Depressions, pointing out that the former lend themselves to self-help treatments and psychotherapy to get rid of cognitive distortions (negative thoughts), while the latter generally require medical treatment including medication. Perhaps most importantly, he provides useful checklists for quickly determining the difference between the two.

For the majority who suffer from cognitive distortions, he provides several suggested treatments to break free from the whirlpool of despair that accompanies depression. These are designed to restore perspective to the person's life, and generally succeed.

At the more serious end of the spectrum, Biological Depression, he discusses the relative merits of various medications and provides a useful overview of Bipolar Disorder (formerly known as Manic-Depressive Illness), which is becoming increasingly common.

My only criticism is that he fails to say that a person who uses medication is likely to have trouble obtaining health insurance in the future because of the excessively high cost of these medications. While that information would discourage people from seeking treatment, it is a fact they should know.

After receiving this book, I noticed that it is published by Impact Publishers, a small publisher located in Atascadero, California. I previously read another of their books ("Luck Is No Accident" by Krumholtz and Levin), which was also excellent. Judging from the listings of their other publications, they specialize in publishing high quality, clearly written, self-help and psychology books. Certainly this book fits that description.

Highly recommended.

You Can Beat Depression By Dr. John Preston is a thorough discussion of the causes and signs of depression. The book is in lay language to help you determine if you yourself or your loved one are experiencing a natural sadness which will pass or if the depression is clinical and need's the treatment of a physician. Dr. Preston discusses the reasons many times depression is not correctly diagnosed because it seems simple to pop a pill and feel better. However, Americans are over-medicated and proper diagnosis of depression will give real help, not just a cover-up. Sometimes talking with a loved one or a counselor will solve the problem, and sometimes an illness needs to be treated. Whatever the root of depression, this book will help you interpret the signs and causes and seek the proper help and cure. You don't have to live with depression. This book offers the hope and help you need.

I believe the book answers most of the questions people have when diagnosed with depression.
Dr. Preston wrote three chapters explaining the many causes of depression. He believes that making sense out of what caused our depression can improve our chances for recovery.
The author includes existential losses as a cause. One of these is the disillusionment or loss of a dream. This often starts when one finally loses hope for a change in our life.
Although brief, the book covers many treatments including self-help, exercise, cognitive therapy, and journaling. His chapters on contolling our negative thoughts are excellent.

If you're suffering from depression or know someone who is, this slender resource is a quick read packed with solidly researched info and advice. Preston makes it immediately clear he understands the horrible apathy and inertia of depression, structuring his expertise in small bites that are easy to digest. It takes very little effort or energy to find a nugget of help or hope in this book that might literally be enough to save a life. If you're not sure where to turn, if you're feeling helpless, this clearly written, compassionate guide is an excellent place to start finding your way out of darkness.

The focus is on understanding depression and its various subtypes, relieving it as quickly as possible, restoring a sense of personal power, and preventing relapse. Preston deftly guides readers through the process of determining which of several methods he briefly describes might work best for them, identifying circumstances that respond well to self-help and those that demand professional intervention. His review of medications is up to date and straightforward, and his admonition to readers to be patient with their prescribed regimen is a responsibly reiterated point. Dr. Preston emphasizes the hopeful points of each therapeutic mode and gently mobilizes readers to be active partners in their own recovery.

Simple exercises for defining and tracking depressive symptoms and behaviors help draw specific battle lines for what might otherwise be an overwhelming enemy. The coping skills Preston teaches can be absorbed as second-nature reflexes for staying on an emotional even keel long after you finish reading the text. You can track your own progress with the checklists he suggests, adjusting your approach where necessary and monitoring your improvement. No effort toward reaffirming life is too small to be noted as a victory. This warm, reassuring book underscores the choices we all have in how we respond to events in our lives, and offers realistic options for a highly treatable condition. See the light for yourself.

Clinical psychologist John Preston reveals that clinical depression differs from normal sadness in five distinct ways: depression is more intensely painful, last longer, interferes with normal day-to-day functioning, is destructive, and is often a cluster of symptoms involving problems in social interaction, behavior, thinking, and biological functioning. In You Can Beat Depression: A Guide To Prevention & Recover: 3rd Edition, Dr. Preston recommends a series of self- help actions to promote emotional healing when afflicted by clinical depression: accept that it is normal to have painful feelings; express your feelings to at least one other person; stay in contact with supportive friends and/or relatives; maintain a realistic perception of your life and yourself; engaging in problem solving which promotes growth. This guide will enable readers to recognize when and how to help themselves (and when to turn to professionals for treatment). Also offered is an up-to-date consumer guide to medications; material on the prevention of depression; brief therapy interventions, exercise, and other non-medical approaches. If you suffer from clinical depression, or know of someone who does, then give a careful reading to John Preston's You Can Beat Depression.

It's a great book for learning to be happy and the work involved. It's not a panacea by any means, but, so far, it's been a real help.

I disagree with the author that you can learn to like anything or any activity - if I'm understanding him correctly.

Some great tips, although, some of his flow charts are bit over complicated. i think they can be simplified a bit.

The author provides this material for free on his website, including the full text in pdf format. I purchased the book because I HATE reading from a computer screen (I still can't learn to like that!) and buying the book is a lot cheaper than printing it. It's also a lot prettier.

You Can Choose to be Happy has practical, easy to follow suggestions to improve one's attitude, reduce anxiety and anger and achieve more happiness. It's packed with useful information and fun to read. I highly recommend it to people in the mental helping field as well as to the general population.

Only read this book if you want to change your life. This book is for people who want to help themselves and believe that they have choices in their lives. As a therapist, I believe this concept is one of the most important awarenesses you can have. Once a person accepts this they know they can have more control over their reactions in every life situation. Dr. Stevens book is not to entertain but to give well thought out strategies for rising above difficult situations and moving towards "harmonious functioning", which he defines as having happiness and harmony in your life.

said it all above plus it's free on author's website.

This is a great book. Each sentence is relevant with a point and it's structured very well. Complex material is presented in a simple manner and there isn't any filler. It is clear the author is a great teacher. It reminds me of all the good professors I've had who were so comforting with sound advice from life experience and sincere wisdom. I found this book the day after I was given a diagnosis for bipolar disorder and it changed everything for me in a matter of hours. I am ordering a copy so I can highlight passages and come back to it again and again. I'm not a sucker for self-help books. I am skeptical of most books and bored very easily. My first impression of this book was that it may be too simple as I have been forced to read many dry, complicated texts as I earned a Masters of Science. However, I soon found that the material was very deep and presented so well that it was easy to understand and impossible to put down. Thanks to the author for helping me to rediscover the internal sources of contentment that I had lost in my post grad life and presenting the tools I needed to reject my life-long diagnosis and easily gain control of my moods and my own happiness.

Their first book, "Straight from the Heart," has helped many people develop, deepen, and renew their relationships through improved communication. "Straight from the Heart" explains how to deliberately create moments of true connection, and helps reawaken your capacity to connect deeply with the people you care about most.

And now, Layne and Paul have just released their second book, "You're Never Upset for the Reason You Think." I had the opportunity to read an advance copy of the book, and I was very pleased at the combination of great wisdom and easy readability the Cutrights have achieved.

Through our website, we often suggest to our members that they can make great strides forward by identifying their own part in difficult situations, rather than simply blaming them on others. The Cutrights' basic premise for this book is based upon that concept. They explain that by taking "Radical Personal Responsibility," one will find a source of inner strength and power that no one can ever take away.

Sounds great, but since many of us had no role models in taking personal responsibility, how do we begin doing it? When our members asked us, "What does this mean?" or "How do I do it?" we have had no guidebook to recommend, until now!

The Cutrights clearly explain the meaning and value of taking personal responsibility, and provide us with a ROADMAP for achieving it! They offer a method which they call "the CURE," the Conscious Upset Resolution Exercise.

They offer the CURE in two parts:

Part one is the Solo Inquiry, which anyone can learn to perform by themselves, to help identify the real reason for the upset, and then begin working through it. This process is clearly and explicitly described, using a worksheet to help accomplish all the steps in order, omitting none. The BIG payoff here is identifying and clearing the real issue, rather than the apparent one.

Part two of the CURE is the Dialogue. After the Solo Inquiry, you gain awareness of your responsibility, and have released much of the emotional charge. Now you are ready to discuss the issue productively with the other(s) who are involved. And the authors tell you exactly how to do that, in a way that's effective in achieving the best possible results.

The profound and elegant wisdom of this inspiring book is something we can enthusiastically recommend to everyone, confident it has the power to improve lives.

If one is progress to higher levels in life...then one must be able to seize the adverse opportunity..and turn it around. Well that sounds good..but how does one do that? I empowered myself..with Paul and Layne's book! Now I have the power and I am teaching my family "how to". My legacy is.."we will survive and thrive as a family". We will get stronger as we shed the ignorance of lessons in life that couldn't be learned, at one time! I am grateful that I get to see the light and feel more love.

If one is to progress to higher levels in life...then one must be able to seize the adverse opportunity..and turn it around. Well that sounds good..but how does one do that? I empowered myself..with Paul and Layne's book! Now I have the power and I am teaching my family "how to". My legacy is.."we will survive and thrive as a family". We will get stronger as we shed the ignorance of lessons in life that couldn't be learned, at one time! I am grateful that my family and I get to see the light, feel more love and be more empowered.

"You're Never Upset For The Reason You Think" is one of the most powerful transformational books I have ever read. It challenges the negative core beliefs that stand in the way of obtaining true and meaningful intimacy.

This book has allowed me to become clear about the constraints I place on myself and within my closest relationships. It's contents have given me the tools that allow me to take responsibility for my upsets and behavior. In taking responsibility, I then have access to healing and resolving my "bottom line thought". This is where I go to create the changes necessary to have the type of relationship I really want, not just dream about.

One of the most empowering things you can do for yourself is take responsibility for your actions. "You're Never Upset For The Reason You Think" has changed my life.

Thank you so much Layne and Paul!

Paul & Layne's book, "You're Never Upset for the Reason You Think," has transformed my romantic relationship and many of my close and intimate relationships (any relationship where I experience a challenge and choose to apply the CURE)!

The authors lay out in crystal clear detail the how and why of personal upsets. The CURE is a simple and effective tool where you discover and consciously get to see where your upset originates from, how it is held (glued) in place, and the barriers that are used to prevent us from freeing ourselves from the cycle of our upsets. The authors then show you how to consistently release these upsets allowing one to transform your relationship with yourself and others.

Becoming personally responsible for all my upsets has allowed for an increased intimacy and closeness that has transformed many of my relationships! I am truly grateful for such a detailed and clear process for unconcealing what has heretofore been hidden and causing me to be unconsciously creating a divide between myself and other people, especially the ones I love most.

Additionally, if you have ever wondered how personal transformation works, the authors offer numerous models, distinctions, and diagrams that show the process in simple and yet detailed precision. This is the most comprehensive personal transformation process with simple and easy to use exercises I have seen in print. This is a must resource for anyone in a relationship.

Additionally, it is an invaluable tool for those who are involved in assisting others in unlocking personal blocks that limit full authentic self expression while in loving relationships with others.

I highly recommend this book!

I am only on chapter 3, or step 3 of the 10 steps. So far I have gained a very real, honest and educated understanding of emotional health. Dr. Wood has many real-life examples that make sense. Somewhere along the line you'll find a connection and thus, gain understanding. One thing she takes into consideration is...there is no one size fits all.

I have found this book as a wonderful tool, I am sure that it can make a difference in someone's life if they really read and use the proposed tools that it has, I have obtained really good results in my personal progress by taking into consideration many of the suggestions that Dr Wood does. Knowing yourself concepts that she proposed are effective, to the point and really clearly explained...really all the book is that way.

This book is so complete mainly for someone that is looking for literature that focuses on mind, body & spirit healing.

I have share some of the ideas that I have learned with my friends, collegues and some psychologist friends of mine, this has come a highly interesting conversation topic and some of them are adquiring this book to keep on learning and helping their personal growth & healing process.

Dr. Wood is a seasoned and astute psychiatrist with a wealth of experience. In this book she presents an approach that is easy to understand, and more importantly, easy to implement. She does not present any esoteric analytical or existential ideologies, but rather guides the reader to greater personal insight and problem solving that is practical and achievable. I recommend this book as highly as her first book. Start here and you are on the way to greater personal understanding, growth, self-control, and happiness.

Written by psychiatrist and award-winning author Eve A Wood, M.D., 10 Steps to Take Charge of Your Emotional Life: Overcoming Anxiety, Distress, and Depression Through Whole-Person Healing is a straightforward self-empowerment guide written for everyone - from people dealing with fallout from a catastrophic emotional event to individuals coping with medical conditions such as brain chemical imbalance, to ordinary readers simply seeking to improve the overall quality of their emotional lives. The steps, discussed at length in the chapters, offer a very logical and practical approach to dealing with difficult problems, from determining whether one is in need of medication to making life choices that are suited for one's personal nature to sharing stories and building connections. A positive-minded, life-empowering guide, that gives useful information about the benefits of not only psychotherapy and traditional medicine, and does not scoff at the possible benefits of alternative medicine. 10 Steps to Take Charge of Your Emotional Life is a consumable text, offering the reader the opportunity to fill in blanks and express thoughts of self-discovery or self-empowerment. A valuable self-help guide for anyone coping with anxiety, distress, or depression.

This book is fantastic! The information is very helpful and the pictures are some of the best I have seen in any collectors book! This book has given me the knowledge to amass a 600+ piece of Abingdon Pottery!
(P.S. Joe and Joyce Paradis have also written a book about the early days of Haeger Pottery that is equally as good as the Abingdon Book! I highly recommed both books!)

Abingdon pottery is one of the hidden treasures of the Midwest that Joe Paradis has now shared with the rest of the world. I found the book after I had acquired a few pieces. It explains the unique quality of the product, such as the weight and the gloss. Paradis includes cross-referenced lists by item name and stock number. It is very comprehensive, readable, and the photography is excellent.

As an avid pottery collector, I have an ever growing collection of Pottery Collector's Guides. Abingdon Pottery Artware is one I refer to over and over again. Clear pictures of marks, stamps, labels and bottoms and an extensive price guide organized by mold number and alphabetized by mold type making identification a snap. This guide is filled with color pictures that I have found to be true to life glaze colors, each picture also includes mold numbers and production dates. One of my top 3 favorite collector's guides!

Abingdon Pottery has been a little know piece of Americana until Joe Paradis and his outstanding book came along. Paradis covers the history of the pottery works, from the days of sanitary fixture making to the Depression when Art Pottery was made. Also discussed are the unique features of the actual pottery with excellent illustrations and interviews with the surviving members of the Depression Era staff. This book is a must for both collectors of Abingdon Pottery and those interested in American pottery in general.

This book is by two of the top people in the field of anxiety disorders. The book contains state of the art information about agoraphobia and proven ways to overcome it. It is well written and easy to understand and also well organized, and it is in the form of a self-help workbook which can be utilzed by people to actually overcome their agoraphobia. This book is currently the best self-help book available for people suffering from agoraphobia.

As a psychologist specializing in treating anxiety, I found this book very useful for my clients. There are other great books on agoraphobia such as the classic by Dr Claire Weekes "Simple, effective treatment of agoraphobia." However, I believe The agoraphobia Workbook's strength is in its simple easy to follow format. It is written for the general public so avoids academic jargon. There are regular exercises to be completed in certain time-frames so it gives you a great structure for developing a goals list. Agoraphobia is a crippling condition to live with and I truly feel for anyone who suffers from it. If you suffer from agoraphobia then I recommend you read all you can on topic and, even though you've probably heard it before, then face your fear in small gradual and realistic steps. Often the avoidance is worse than actually facing your fear.
Anthony Gunn
Psychologist and author of Fear Is Power: Turn Your Fears Into Success

I am very familiar with the pain of anxiety, panic attacks, and agoraphobia for I suffered from these maladies for several decades. During those years of suffering I believed that my problems were purely mental and underwent treatment by psychiatrists, psychologists, and hypnotherapists. I took various prescribed medications and read many books such as this, but experienced little relief. And then, after I began taking a daily supplement of chelated magnesium for another seemingly-unrelated ailment, for the first time I began experiencing significant diminishment of anxiety. There seemed to be no explanation for this wonderful change until the publication in 2003 of the book The Miracle of Magnesium by Dr. Carolyn Dean. In her wonderful book Dr. Dean reveals that a major cause of anxiety and panic attacks is deficiency of magnesium and that magnesium deficiency is quite common in the U.S. Therefore, I beg all sufferers of anxiety, panic attacks, and agoraphobia to purchase and read The Miracle of Magnesium by Dr. Carolyn Dean and try the magnesium supplementation which she recommends. It may change your life as has changed mine.

Some quick thoughts between classes on the book "The Agoraphobia Workbook" (by Pollard and Zuercher-White). Note: I'd recommend buying it new or like new--as a previous owner MAY have written in it.

I've had agoraphobia for awhile. I've gotten a degree in psychology, seen therapists, psychiatrists, taken many prescribed drugs (ativan, klonopin, prozac--and now paxil and xanax), tried hypnosis, acupuncture, meditation, and read over 20 books on panic attacks and agoraphobia.

HOWEVER, this is the first book that really appreciates the significance of internal symptoms (feared sensations) and the fear of symptom attacks (anticipatory fear). Other books mention anticipatory anxiety and catastrophizing and so on, but NONE address it this well.

This book also thoroughly explains WHY my agoraphobia HASN'T gone away even though I KNOW it's irrational and then describes how to beat it by developing structure, finding discipline to follow it (time, motivation and effort) AND doing things that will at times be uncomfortable.

What I have been doing--waiting it out and trying to push on
with back-up--HASN'T WORKED. It's been two years with varied success--ups and downs--but now it's time to get well. Having read so many other panic/agoraphobia books, I wasn't very hopeful; but after 4 chapters I'm convinced that this workbook is MUCH more relevant to my issues than other "panic" books AND much more likely to actually change my behavior.

The book explains the 4 components of agoraphobic fear:
(1) external signals--feared situations/ places/ activities like being far from home, driving over bridges and physical exertion...
(2) internal signals--feared sensations like heart beating fast/ hard, dizziness/ light-headedness/ faint-like feelings and feeling dissociated/ detached/ outside of oneself...which leads to...
(3) symptom attacks--panic, etc., though, like most of us, I've never experienced the actual...
(4) catastrophe I fear (gone insane, permanently lost control, fainted and crashed while driving, lost my job, etc.).

Usually by the time I'm four chapters in, I've begun to realize that the book I'm reading is saying the same thing as all the others, and my sense of hope for a cure slowly dissipates. For whatever reason--clear explanations, alternate foci/ emphasis, etc.--this book is different. I'm reading it and still very hopeful, and even more so, I'm actually confident that it's going to help. We'll see (I'll update).

(A NOTE TO THE MAGNESIUM-CURE TROLL: I appreciate your enthusiam for the curative effects Magnesium had on you. I'm sure many of us, like me, have even done research (based on your comments--thank you) AND maybe some, like me, even went out and bought and started taking magnesium supplements. However, I'd like to suggest a few things. One, stop posting your fake "review" and pushing the book--it's out there (on here) enough. Go back and edit your posts to just say, "I apologize for the non-review, but please do a bit of research on using magnesium (specify what kind--not oxide) to help with panic disorder/agoraphobia; it worked for me and there are books on it as well as websites about it."

That way you won't be seen as a "troll" so much as someone who wants to help. Most of us are hesitant to take anything that might mess with how we feel and most of us have TRIED many "cures" that didn't work for us (BOTH are reasons why we're looking for new books with new suggestions). Your magnesium non-reviews just make a lot of people mad, which I know isn't what you want.)

If you know of a family with tween/teens in it, struggling with Mental Illness, hand this book to them! It will be a great starting point for some good discussion. The themes in this book are intense - I question the promotion of grade 5 (age 10!). Don't get me wrong - this is an awesome book - fairly portraying Mennonite faith and how Mental Illness can affect a family. Highly recommended for adults and more mature tween & teen readers.

Elsie is twelve, convinced her mother's mental illness is her fault, finds herself at odds with everyone, from family to friends. To top it off, she horrifies her Mennonite family by losing faith in God. Her mother's breakdown will change her life and lead her full circle in Almost Eden, a young girl's journey of self-discovery.

ALMOST EDEN is a delightful novella about a 12-year-old girl coping with her mother's emotional illness and her belief that she herself is the cause of her mother's problems. The girl, Elsie, is a lively and appealing character, and Horrocks creates good surprises with the characters of Elsie's father and sisters, who prove to be far more complex than they initially appear. The only flaw is that the story is too short; a longer book would have allowed even more character development and more room for the characters to grow. Still, this is well worth reading

Amost Eden is about this girl named Ellise that lives in a normal life until... her mother has a serious mental illness which is, depression. Her mom is sent away to Eden and the family is torn.
Meanwhile Ellise has even more problems such as losing her best friends, running away from cops when breaking in swimmng pool, not feeding the cat Tommy, nearly getting killed by a crazy bull, nearly getting kidnapped, and most of all trying to get her mom out of the hopistal Eden.
Since things are not turning her way Ellise starts to lose faith in God.
Will her life end in happily ever after or will things just get even worse?