Susan J. Noonan, MD, MPH, is a physician, certified peer specialist, mental health and wellness coach, speaker and consultant to Massachusetts General Hospital and to The Engage Initiative. She is the author of Take Control of Your Depression: Strategies to Help You Feel Better Now and Helping Others with Depression: Words to Say, Things to Do, and Reconnecting After Isolation: Coping with Anxiety, Depression, Grief, PTSD, and More.
Description
In this updated edition of the classic guide to managing your depression, Dr. Susan J. Noonan provides comprehensive support for navigating the challenges of mood disorders with clarity, compassion, and evidence-based solutions. As a physician who has personal experience living with depression, Dr. Noonan offers practical tools and exercises to help individuals understand and manage their symptoms, build resilience, and foster recovery.
This updated edition introduces the most recent cutting-edge topics, including evolving precision medicine, while addressing the impact of age, cultural factors, and co-occurring conditions on mental health. Expanded sections tackle key issues such as common challenges and obstacles, loneliness, women’s mental health, and the role of technology in accessing care.
This essential guide:
- Provides clear explanations of mood disorders, their symptoms, and the biological, psychological, and environmental factors contributing to them.
- Explains various mental health treatments, including therapy approaches and emerging techniques.
- Emphasizes self-care strategies to maintain emotional health and stability: sleep, diet, physical exercise, routine and structure, and avoiding isolation
- Offers practical exercises and strategies to foster resilience, identify warning signs, manage triggers, and prevent relapse.
- Includes exercises to improve mindfulness, manage stress, and develop healthier thought patterns.
- Guides readers on navigating the mental health system, finding the right provider, and being active participants in their care.
Whether you are personally affected or supporting a loved one, this trusted work offers clear and practical advice with helpful exercises for addressing depression and feeling better.
Contents
List of Tables, Boxes and Worksheets
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Section 1: Mental Health and Mood Disorders
1. Determinants of Mental Health
2. Mood Disorders
3. Treatment resistant depression
4. Impact of Gender and Age on Mental Health
5. Impact of Other Medical conditions and COVID-19 on Mental Health
6. Cultural differences that may impact mental health
7. Depression does not define you: Finding Your Baseline
8. Impact of mood disorder on you
9. Common Challenges and Obstacles in Depression
10. Mood disorders and Addictions
11. Mental health crisis, self harm and suicide
Section 2: TREATMENT
12. What is the goal of treatment
13. Finding professional help
14. Mental Health treatment options
15. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
16. Technology in mental health
17. Navigating the healthcare system
Section 3: MANAGING YOUR MOOD DISORDER
18. Healthy Ways to Deal With Mood Disorders: Mental Health Basics
19. Managing Your Mood Disorder
20. Relapse Prevention
21. Strategies to Get You through the Tough Times
22. Dealing with Family and Friends
23. What does Recovery look like?
24. Pulling It All Together
Appendix A1: Mood Disorder Statistics: About the numbers
Appendix A2: Suicide and Self-harm Statistics: About the numbers
Appendix B: Psychiatric Advance Directive
Appendix C: USDA 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
Appendix D: Sample Food Portion Sizes: What One Portion Looks Like
Helpful Websites
Books of Interest
References
Index