Appendix (4): Good Mood: The New Psychology of Overcoming Depression

Good Mood

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Good Mood:
The New Psychology
of Overcoming Depression

Chapter 4

cont.

7) There can be damaging psychological side-effects of drug treatment. According to a physician, the anti-depressant drug may become "a nagging reminder that something within is not working as it should...[and] has the potential for decreasing one's sense of self-worth"(15)...."It is not uncommon for patients to go off the medications a number of times, testing their limitations. This often (but not always) results in further episodes....This returns the patient to square one and further disturbs his sense of self-worth".(16)

"Some patients are very upset by the idea that it is not their own will but a medication that is responsible for preserving control over their behavior, mood, or judgment...as a weakness. These feelings can lead to a rather negative attitude...."15

8) Understanding depression as part of human psychology is of interest for its own sake. Hence the existence of effective anti-depression drugs is not a good reason to cease searching for psychological understanding of depression.

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There are a variety of anti-depressant drugs and a variety of side-effects. A convenient up-to-date summary of them is in Chapter 5 of the book by Papalos and Papalos referred to in the bibliography..

Present Conditions (Conditions (Interpretation of these) Childhood Recent history (General or (History weighted Traumatic) by recency) Anti-Depression Drugs or (Comparison) - Habitual States Goals Self demands hopes FIGURE 4-1 3 Low self-esteem Negative self-comparisons Sadness Sense of helplessness Figure - 5

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