Published August 6th 2019 by Random House Canada
Now here’s a book I’ve been trying to read since it came out. A tough subject to really read about, depression is something that has haunted almost everyone at one point. Whether it’s when you’re younger or when you’re older, whether it’s because of things you don’t think are that important or because of some kind of life changing event, it’s debilitating, and continues to be debilitating because people just don’t know that much about it, and how to treat it. And that’s really just the problem with it. It’s not that there’s something wrong with the people that have it, it’s that there’s no real sure way to treat it and get rid of it.
This book explores not only the authors own experiences with depression, but also many other people that they’ve interviewed, as well as doctors that have tried every method in the book, and in some cases trying their own forms of radical treatment to try and get rid of it in their patients, for good. Some people have good reactions to drugs that they prescribe, while others, like me, are either unresponsive or they make things worse. So the doctors turn to in patient treatment, or in a few cases, electric shock therapy, and in even fewer cases, brain surgery. But why is it so difficult to treat? Because it’s different in every person. And there’s just not enough funding or interest in getting rid of depression all together to figure out how to come up with a way to figure out a sure way to treat each and every person who has it, the first time. And that’s what the problem is.
Though there are a few parts in this book that were really hard for me to read, I was persistent, and I’m really glad that I was. Like my depression. I learned a lot from this book, and I think it was a really good addition to my small amount of non fiction books that I’ve read this year. I really respect the author for being able to talk about this stuff, for collection all the interviews in a book, and for putting a lot of things I’ve wondered about into words. Like how doctors sometimes seem uncaring and cold about it. How hard it is for patients to really go to the doctor and tell them that they’re thinking of, or planning on, killing themselves, because of the stigma that comes along with it. Or like how drastically different inpatient treatment is from the real world. How harsh and cold it can be. And how something that’s supposed to be making you better really can do the opposite, and cause you to not trust any doctor for the rest of your life, in some cases.
It took a while for me to get through this book, but mostly because there was just so much for me to process. I didn’t want to speed through it like I usually do with books, because I wanted to actually learn things from this and one day, if and when my depression comes back, I can remember this book and remember that I’m not alone, even though it feels like it. I really recommend this book to anyone who knows anyone with depression, anyone who suffers from it, and that’s really that. I recommend it to everyone. Definitely check it out if you get the chance.
If you’d like to grab a copy, you can do so here, with my link through Amazon Associates.
And if you’d like to keep up with the author, you can do so here!
Thanks for reading! Hope you’re doing well and staying safe.
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