Depression Is A Choice
Description
In this revolutionary and provocative work, a psychotherapist with a family history of depression takes a hard look at the syndrome and how to overcome it naturally -- without medication.
What if Prozac was not the best answer to depression? What if you could learn to think your depression away? What if you could "pull the plug" on depression any time you wanted? What if depression is a choice?
Of the more than 19 million Americans who suffer from depression, many will turn to Prozac or other psychotropic drugs for relief. Now psychotherapist A. B. Curtiss raises powerful questions about this trend -- pointing out that for most of us depression is not a disease to be cured by antidepressant drugs, which only offer temporary relief, but a necessary defense mechanism. She advocates a process called "directed thinking" to permanently manage depression.
While recognizing that in its most extreme forms depression is best treated through pharmaceutical and psychoanalytical intervention, Curtiss argues convincingly that most people can control their depressive tendencies without the use of drugs and without the burden of endless therapy. To illustrate this, she draws from her own experiences with depression, anecdotes from her practice, and a wealth of fascinating information about the history of the treatment of depression. This immensely readable, eye-opening, and extremely helpful book encourages those people to take responsibility for their symptoms, and gives them the steps they need to fight and win the battle against depression.
Book Review
Publisher's Weekly:
"According to Curtiss, as soon as one becomes aware of depressed or manic feelings, one must "as an act of will, replace the accidental, unchosen thoughts that have caused the problem with new, positive, neutral or commonsense thoughts or actions." Even in cases resulting from chemical imbalances in the brain, contends Curtiss, it's simply a question of learning how to employ the mind. She feels strongly that prescription drugs coupled with "psychologized thinking" (i.e. the Freudian premise that "the mind and the self... are one and the same") will only mask, not help with depression."
The Electric Bookstore
Excellent work, highly recommended.
DEPRESSION IS A CHOICE is a documentary, text book type work of 20 chapters in which a woman who is a therapist and well acquainted with depression offers some concrete insight and advice into depression and how to manage it through employing Directed Thought. Curtiss says Directed Thinking is a combination of awareness, understandings, formula thinking, and mind tricks applied to depression; "my own and others".
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