The Encyclopedia of Depression (Facts on File Library of Health and Living)

Intended for the layman, this volume includes hundreds of entries which explain depression, the public health programs available for sufferers, the drugs used for treatment, and the different types of treatments available.

This title, a revision of the 1991 edition, asks the question, "What's new in depression?" One of the most obvious changes is that some famous personalities who suffer from depression have been replaced. Mozart remains, but Abbie Hoffman is out and Tipper Gore is in. Other new subjects include alternative therapies, new treatments, an online self-test for depression, and the potential benefits of the Human Genome Project. Other than that, not much seems to be new. Some articles have been revised and statistics updated, but most entries are the same as in the earlier edition. This includes references and the bibliography, where most titles date from the mid-1980s. Some of these will be difficult to locate.

The format follows that of other Facts On File Library of Health and Living titles. Entries range from a short paragraph to essay length. The scope of the book is broad, covering all aspects of depression. Psychological and medical terms coexist with popular terms such as Baby blues and Blahs. Tests, medications, measurement tools, research, and biological and psychological elements related to depression are covered.

There are cross-references to related articles. Terms that are mentioned in an entry and are also entry headings are in capital letters. Neither of these finding tools is used consistently. There is no cross-reference, for example, from the mention of barbiturates in the entry Depressants to the entry Barbiturates. The entry Types of depression states that there are "various forms and types" but does not list them and does not provide cross-references to entries for Bipolar affective disorder, Dysthymia, etc.

Six appendixes complete the encyclopedia. Among these are a list of psychiatric drugs, a resource list, and several World Health Organization studies, one of which dates from 1984. Although it was a landmark study, the time lapse weakens its usefulness. The volume concludes with an index.

Serious students and researchers will need more authoritative resources such as Encyclopedia of Psychology [RBB Ag 00] or Raymond J. Corsini's Encyclopedia of Psychology and Behavioral Science (Wiley, 2000). For the layperson who needs only a definition, this title will suffice. REVWR
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