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Overcoming Depression: A Five Areas Approach
Overcoming Depression is a series of structured self-help workbooks for use for people experiencing depression. Developed in liaison with a wide range of health care practitioners, the course allows access to the proven Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) approach to treatment. With reading ages between 11 and 14, each workbook has been designed to offer essential jargon-free information and provides carefully sequenced series of questions designed to bring about change in how the person thinks and in what they do in order to improve how they feel. The course offers a clear model of intervention based on the Five Areas Assessment model of depression. The workbooks are designed for use by sufferers in liaison with a health care practitioner. The books are licensed for unlimited photocopying for use clinically and in teaching. An accompanying health care practitioner's manual teaches health care workers how to use the workbooks most effectively with those experiencing depression.
232 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2001
About the author
Christopher Williams
42 books11 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Professor Chris Williams is Professor of Psychosocial Psychiatry and Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK. His main clinical and research interest is in the area of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and in particular in looking at ways of disseminating this approach more widely.
Professor Chris Williams is Professor of Psychosocial Psychiatry and Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK. His main clinical and research interest is in the area of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and in particular in looking at ways of disseminating this approach more widely.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 4, 2015
I will admit, it took me a long time to get through this book, but I am glad I did.
It's split into a five areas approach, which focuses on how everything is linked. What we think about a situation or problem may affect how we feel emotionally and physically and can also alter what we do.
Area 1: People and events around us (different situations, relationships and practical problems/resources facing the person)
Area 2: Altered thinking with extreme and unhelpful thoughts
Area 3: Altered feelings/emotions e.g. low, anxious, angry, ashamed, guilty
Area 4: Altered physical symptoms e.g. hyperventilating, panic attacks
Area 5: Altered behaviour/activity levels e.g. reduced activity, avoidance, helpful and unhelpful behaviours that you do
Because of the links between the five areas, it means that helpful changes in any one of the areas can lead to benefits in other areas as well. This book looks at many different ways to make changes in each of the five areas and how to keep going if you feel stuck. There's advice, CBT exercises and questions to answer related to thiongs such as doing things that boost how you feel, noticing and changing extreme and unhelpful thinking, overcoming sleep priblems, building relationships with your family and friends and information for them to offer the best support.
I found the interactive nature of the book helpful with getting a deeper understanding of my life and my feelings and I have started to get a clearer view of things. I'd recommend this book to anyone who struggles with depression and low mood.
It's split into a five areas approach, which focuses on how everything is linked. What we think about a situation or problem may affect how we feel emotionally and physically and can also alter what we do.
Area 1: People and events around us (different situations, relationships and practical problems/resources facing the person)
Area 2: Altered thinking with extreme and unhelpful thoughts
Area 3: Altered feelings/emotions e.g. low, anxious, angry, ashamed, guilty
Area 4: Altered physical symptoms e.g. hyperventilating, panic attacks
Area 5: Altered behaviour/activity levels e.g. reduced activity, avoidance, helpful and unhelpful behaviours that you do
Because of the links between the five areas, it means that helpful changes in any one of the areas can lead to benefits in other areas as well. This book looks at many different ways to make changes in each of the five areas and how to keep going if you feel stuck. There's advice, CBT exercises and questions to answer related to thiongs such as doing things that boost how you feel, noticing and changing extreme and unhelpful thinking, overcoming sleep priblems, building relationships with your family and friends and information for them to offer the best support.
I found the interactive nature of the book helpful with getting a deeper understanding of my life and my feelings and I have started to get a clearer view of things. I'd recommend this book to anyone who struggles with depression and low mood.
September 4, 2019
I have had a couple of people close to me suffer with mental illness over recent times, and this book was very helpful in letting me understand some of what they are going through.
January 17, 2018
I can see here that a lot of people have read this book but if I was going to read or even contemplate buying this book, a physical readable review would really sell it to me.
I'm not sure what it is about self help books, especially depression etc but there seem's to be a lack of reviews, which sometimes can do the book a great dishonour, luckily, this book really is very helpful and hopefully this review will show that.
It's not short by any means and it may take other readers a fair while to get through, (some readers may not want to read cover to cover, it depends on the reader's learning and reading style) however, it's a book you can go back to (especially if you own or loan) which is handy because its split up into areas to make it easier for the reader to approach. Each area focuses on how everything is all linked together, so how each situation we're put into or each problem can have an affect on us, emotionally or physically.
The further you get through the book it shows how you can deal with things etc. The advice throughout the book is helpful but so are the CBT exercises and lots of practical and useful ideas, I think the whole book is just a great asset to have on the book shelf.
Definitely a recommend for anyone who like myself, struggles with depression and/low mood and wants to get a hold of it.
I'm not sure what it is about self help books, especially depression etc but there seem's to be a lack of reviews, which sometimes can do the book a great dishonour, luckily, this book really is very helpful and hopefully this review will show that.
It's not short by any means and it may take other readers a fair while to get through, (some readers may not want to read cover to cover, it depends on the reader's learning and reading style) however, it's a book you can go back to (especially if you own or loan) which is handy because its split up into areas to make it easier for the reader to approach. Each area focuses on how everything is all linked together, so how each situation we're put into or each problem can have an affect on us, emotionally or physically.
The further you get through the book it shows how you can deal with things etc. The advice throughout the book is helpful but so are the CBT exercises and lots of practical and useful ideas, I think the whole book is just a great asset to have on the book shelf.
Definitely a recommend for anyone who like myself, struggles with depression and/low mood and wants to get a hold of it.
July 30, 2020
Read this to support a friend who was suffering from depression while she did the book too. I definitely learned a lot from it and I'd turn to it immediately if I needed to. Ended up passing my copy on to someone that mentioned they were feeling depressed, it's a really easy way to nip things in the bud.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews