Feeling Good The New Mood Therapy By David D. Burns, M.D.
Treating depression takes different forms. Some doctors treat primarily with antidepressant medications. While many of the newer medications have fewer side effects, sometimes they also do not work as well for depression. Other professionals take the view that psychotherapy is a far more effective form of treatment for depression. Either way, one's chance of relapsing back to a state of depression is at least 50% after a first episode of depression. The incidence increases significantly with more than one bout of depression. Whether it is because some people are more prone to depression than others, either emotionally or chemically, finding an effective way to help prevent relapse is important.
Dr. Burns takes an approach that depression can be best treated by understanding our moods. In doing so, we can learn to talk back to the negative, self-defeatist attitude that affects many of us. Maybe these things come from messages we have learned in our childhood or from situations we have found ourselves in at some point. Dr. Burns takes the view that our automatic thoughts affect the way we feel about ourselves. Indeed, research is showing that the mind and body are intimately connected. By working on the negative messages that pepper our brains, it is possible to change the course of depression and inoculate ourselves against a new bout of severe depression. Don't be fooled, however, this book addresses those in all stages of depression.
The best tool is found near the beginning of the book in Chapter Two. Dr. Burns has developed something he calls the Burns Depression Checklist. In an earlier version of this book, he used the Beck Depression Inventory, but has changed to BDC in his 1999 edition. It addresses all the different symptoms of depression ranging from the emotional to the physical. He is able to categorize one's level of depression by the score on the checklist from no depression to severe depression.
In addition, he includes the caveats,
"If your score was above 50, it indicates your depression is severe or even extreme. This degree of suffering can be almost unbearable, especially when the score is increased above 75. Your moods are apt to be intensely uncomfortable and possibly dangerous because the feelings of despair and hopelessness may even trigger suicidal impulses.
Fortunately, the prognosis for successful treatment is excellent. In fact, sometimes the most severe depressions respond the most rapidly. But it is not wise to try to treat a severe depression on your own. A professional consultation is a must. Seek out a trusted and competent counselor."
He also adds, "If you had any elevated scores on the questions about suicidal feelings, urges, and plans . . . I would strongly recommend that you obtain professional help right away."
This book is for anyone who has experienced the highs and lows of depression. For some, using the book may be enough to circumvent a more serious case of depression. In other cases, it is a useful adjunct to the treatment you are already receiving.
In Chapter Three he begins to address something called cognitive distortions. They are listed here, but he goes into detail on each of these in his book.
All-or-nothing thinking
Overgeneralization
Mental filter
Disqualifying the positive
Jumping to conclusions
Magnification (catastrophizing) or minimization
Emotional reasoning
Should statements
Labeling and mislabeling
Personalization
These categories can be applied to so many areas of our lives. How many of us have said, "I SHOULD have stopped that from happening," even when nothing we could have done would have changed a thing? In that statement, we give ourselves more power than we have. What about this? "No matter what I do, nothing ever seems to change," for one negative event. There are endless examples one can find. What I like about this book is that Dr. Burns offers practical examples and concrete methods for combating these negative messages we give ourselves.
In Part Three, Dr. Burns begins to talk about preventing these feelings and going forward in our personal growth. My personal favorite chapter from that section is "Dare to Be Average! Ways to Overcome Perfectionism." There is truly something for everyone in this book.
Dr. Burns finishes the book by describing how he practices what he preaches and describes the relationship between the mind and body. I found the section on antidepressants to be most helpful in describing common side effects and comparing different classes of antidepressant medications.
Dr. Burns says in the introduction that "more and more therapists are beginning to assign bibliotherapy to their patients as psychotherapy 'homework' between therapy sessions." A nationwide survey of psychotherapists published in 1994 also reported that out of a list of 1000 self-help books recommended for patients listed, Feeling Good was the number-one-rated book for depressed patients. Dr. Burns was not one of the therapists contacted for this survey.
This book is one you can use to help yourself or in conjunction with your therapist. It doesn't subscribe to one way of solving your problems, but advocates different ways by which you might improve your depression either alone or in conjunction with a therapist. My little yellow book is well-thumbed by this point and my former therapist, who recommended I get this book told me that he had to buy a new copy because his copy of Feeling Good was in the same condition. I can't think of a better recommendation for a book than to buy one that has been so well used by professional and layperson alike.
