HELP! SOMEONE I LOVE HAS DEPRESSION
By Jim Winter
Day One. 64 pages. £2.50
ISBN 978 1 846 254 604
The author of this excellent little booklet was once a jewellery repairer and likens helping a depressed person to teasing out knots in a fine silver chain using two pins and much patience. It’s an apt analogy at the start of this concise, practical and scriptural aid for both the depressed and those caring for them.
The first chapter on understanding depression, considers what distinguishes a depressed mood from a disease state and explores briefly five key indicators of a depressive illness – emptiness, energy loss, self-pity, giving up and negative colouration of life, and then four common causes of depression – guilt, fear, circumstances of loss and, importantly but often forgotten, various physical diseases. Three categories of possible help are then described as spiritual ministry, psychological treatments especially cognitive behavioural therapy, and medication in the form of antidepressants.
