Depression Resources

Understanding Major Depressive Disorder

Overview

• Major Depressive Disorder by Osmosis

• Psychology of Depression by Neuro Transmissions

Neuroscience

• Neuroscience of Depression by Neuro Transmissions

• Depression in the Brain by Jen Anna

Treatment

• Do Antidepressants Shrink Your Brain? No, but Depression Does by Dr. Tracey Marks

• 4 Common Misconceptions about Antidepressants, Debunked by SciShow Psych

Bibliotherapy

Self-Help

• On Depression by Nassir Ghaemi, MD, MPH

• This is Depression by Diane McIntosh, PhD

• Feeling Great by David D. Burns, MD (CBT)

• Overcoming Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts by Sally Winston, PsyD & Dr. Martin Seif, PhD (CBT)

• Hardwiring Happiness by Rick Hanson, PhD (CBT+Mindfulness)

• The Mindful Way Through Depression by Mark Williams et al (Mindfulness)

• The Upward Spiral by Alex Korb, PhD (Neuroscience)

• A Liberated Mind by Steven C Hayes, PhD (ACT)

• Learned Hopefulness by Dan Tomasulo, PhD

• Against Depression by Peter D. Kramer, MPH

• Unfuck Your Brain by Faith G. Harper, PhD, LPC-S, ACS, ACN

• Breathe How You Want to Feel by Matteo Pistono

Memoirs

• Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig

• Miseducated by Brandon P. Fleming

• Prozac Nation by Elizabeth Wurtzel

• Things We Don’t Talk About by Pandora Owl (Poetry)

• Depression and Other Magic Tricks by Sabrina Benaim (Poetry)

Novels

• Lincoln’s Melancholy by Joshua Wolf Shenk

• The Words We Keep by Erin Stewart (for teens & adults)

• Daring to Take Up Space by Daniell Koepke (poetry)

Journal Prompts

• 41 Journal Prompts for Depression from Choosing Therapy, highlights:

  • What specific emotions do I feel today, underneath the darkness of the depression cloud?  Why are these other emotions important?

  • What emotion is most prevalent today?  Where in my body do I feel it?  What would I like to feel there instead?

  • What times of year do I feel my best?  My worst?  Is there a pattern?

  • What steps can I take to ease my depression?  What helped in the past?

• 99 Journal Prompts for Mental Health from Hello, Bombshell! (see Depression)

• DBSA Wellness Wheel Workbook from DBS Alliance

• 64 Journaling Prompts for Self-Discovery by PsychCentral

• What basic needs (food, sleep, rest) do I need to improve?  Make a plan.

• Write poetry or a story where characters have to grapple with what you feel

• How to Be Happy (Or at Least Less Sad) by Lee Crutchley

• Getting to Good by Elena Welsh, PhD

• Embrace Your Shadow to Find Your Light: A Shadow Work Journal by Nancy Levin

• Essential Art Therapy Exercises by Leah Guzman, ATR-BC

Activities

• 15-Minute Meditation, Banishing Depression by The Honest Guys

• 15-Minute Meditation for Self Love by Goodful

• How to Use Mindfulness for Depression (the video and Mindfulness Body Scan) by Dr. Tracey Marks

• The Free Mindfulness Project’s Free Exercises (audio files)

• Write or listen to music that matches your feelings; write or listen to music that will help you to connect to lighter and non-depressed feelings

• Create art, however you feel comfortable, that expresses your feelings

• Eco-therapy (go on a hike/walk, camping, gardening)

• Physical Exercise (working out, yoga, dance)

• Spend time with your favorite animals (or humans)

• Organize and clean your physical spaces

• Pamper your physical self with a bubble bath, massage, facemask, or pedicure