Feb/Mar 2010
Manage Your Mood
How to use Behavioural Activation techniques to overcome
depression
Manage Your Mood is written by two leading clinicians in the field, David Veale
and Rob Willson and is one of the ‘Overcoming’ series of books. David Veale is a
Consultant Psychiatrist in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy at the South London and
Maudsley and the Priory Hospital, London whilst Rob Willson is a Cognitive
Behaviour Therapist in private practice. Rob Willson is also a tutor at
Goldsmith College, London and has worked with sufferers of anxiety and
depression for twelve years.
The foreword to the book is by Paul Gilbert, author of Overcoming Depression,
who says that Manage Your Mood has been written to help the you, the reader take
control of your life instead of battling on, keeping going and putting a brave
face on things. This can be achieved by helping you to understand your thinking
style, recognise your daily routines and activities to help overcome your
depression. Paul Gilbert says that the ideas outlined in the book are derived
from behavioural approaches to problems, the basic idea is that to learn new
tasks or overcome difficulties, skilful action is required. An example he gives
is of the anxiety that may be involved in learning to drive. The best way to
build confidence in this situation is to get in a car with an instructor and
practise. This book, Paul Gilbert says gives invaluable advice on how to be kind
to yourself in order to feel better. Manage Your Mood is not intended as an
instant fix, however it does provide a wealth of strategies for working with
mild to moderate depression. It is recognised that focusing your energies to
beat depression takes a great deal of effort, working with this book could help
you to achieve this goal.
I found the book Manage Your Mood to be well presented, clearly set out and easy
to access, with a step by step approach to analysing and changing behaviours,
advocating a pattern of approach behaviours rather than avoidance. The book
contains both comprehensive work sheets and many interesting case studies. The
book can be used both by individuals to facilitate self help and by
practitioners in helping clients to overcome their depression.
Manage Your Mood is broken down into sixteen chapters; each chapter has several
sub sections. Chapter one asks the question ‘What is Depression’, covering types
of anxiety and depression, effects of depression and explains how common
depression really is. Chapter two looks at the causes, what can trigger
depression or make a person vulnerable. There are also chapters on a
psychological understanding of depression, effective treatments, overcoming
obstacles and how to start helping yourself. With problem solving, diet, being
physically active and trying to achieve a good night’s sleep.
The book also contains sections on alcohol and drugs, herbal treatments and
looks at medications prescribed for depression.
I found Manage Your Mood to be a user friendly, informative, interesting and
comprehensive guide to overcoming depression, thereby greatly improving your
quality of life.
ISBN 978-1-84529-314-7, Cover price £12.99
Available from all good book shops, Amazon at £7.70