Hand-Me-Down Blues: How To Stop Depression From Spreading In Families - Softcover

Yapko, Michael D.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0312263325 ISBN 13: 9780312263324

Publisher: Golden Guides from St. Martin's Press, 2000

Synopsis

A powerful, family-based approach to understanding and treating depression that goes way beyond Prozac

Many people have been led to believe that depression is caused simply by a chemical imbalance in the brain, and as a result they look to science for convenient answers, hoping that "a capsule a day will keep depression away." Unfortunately, this narrow focus on biology and the use of medications has often led people to overlook other important influences, such as how our families can affect emotional health in powerful ways.

In Hand-Me-Down Blues, Dr. Michael Yapko carefully describes how the family can play a crucial role in the development of and recovery from depression. Parents introduce their children to various life experiences and inevitably reveal their own values, perspectives, and biases. Children typically learn to interpret life events in the same way their parents do, and their interpretations can be a basis for depression. Once depression strikes, it distorts family relationships, splintering families as it spreads from one person to another like a virus. Thus, children can "inherit" depression less from their parents' genes and more from their parents' attitudes and behaviors.

About this title

Review

Most of us have heard about the way depression can run in families, and of theories proposing a genetic predisposition to the disease. But those theories present only one side of depression--what about the behaviors and coping skills learned in families where depression is an issue? How do we identify those subtle patterns and improve our lives without resorting to "wonder drugs"? In Hand-Me-Down Blues, Dr. Michael Yapko offers help in plain and simple language. Each chapter has plenty of summarized bullet points and practical suggestions that turn a complicated topic into one easily digested by busy parents. Yapko is careful to avoid blame, adapting a "we're all in this together" attitude, and analyzes numerous life stories to demonstrate his points. In the chapter "Marriage and Depression", he relates several stories of couples dealing with depression-related problems. While clearly demonstrating how poor communication can destroy good feelings, he also shouts, "Feelings can lie"--a surprising concept in light of other authors' "feelings are facts" statements. Positive action is emphasized in every chapter--and the analytical tools to decide which action needs to be taken are provided along the way. Determining the differences between shared and individual responsibility, tolerating ambiguity while establishing healthy boundaries, and displaying adaptability are just a few of the techniques presented.

Yapko does an excellent job of showing the effects of depression in a larger context--not just family relationships, but also how family members often take their learned behaviors into school, work, and other social relationships. His practical methods for dealing with depression call for serious effort and repeat actions, but by putting just a few of his suggestions into practice, you may find yourself with stronger family relationships and a renewed sense of hope for the future. --Jill Lightner

About the Author

Michael D. Yapko, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and marriage and family therapist in private practice who lectures worldwide on the subject of depression. He is a member of the American Psychological Association and the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and a Fellow in both the Royal Society of Medicine in England and the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis. He lives with his wife near San Diego, California.

Edition details

• Publisher: Golden Guides from St. Martin's Press
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0312263325
• ISBN 13: 9780312263324
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 256