Understanding Depression

Since the publication of the first edition in 1993, there have been important developments in the understanding of depression and in the treatment approaches. This new edition reflects these new realities, giving increased emphasis to the biological foundations of depression, the development of and wide use of antidepressant drugs, the shift in the means of dispensing these drugs from mental health professionals to primary care physicians, and the development of alternative medicine approaches to treatment.

Written in an easy-to-read manner, the book provides a wide-ranging picture of what is known about depressed moods and depression, from demographic, biological, and psychological aspects to methods of treatment and issues surrounding recurrence.

Paul R. Robbins has held a number of research positions in the Department of Psychiatry at George Washington University Medical School, the National Institute of Mental Health, and the Public Health Service. He has published numerous papers in psychological and psychiatric journals, many books on psychology topics for general readers (and several novels). He lives in Silver Spring, Maryland.