Depressed Jane

Past child abuse and other negative environment factors

Holding your body in a depressing way - bent down, frowning, etc.

Medical causes

Poor diet, lack of exercise

Isolation

Fill in the blank

But this book is different.

Healing Anxiety and Depression is a refreshing book, for it takes all of the above factors and mixes it into a complete approach to the causes and treatment of anxiety and depression.

Moreover, Daniel Amen, M.D. and his co-author, Lisa C. Routh, M.D. have pioneered the use of a brain imaging technology known as SPECT: Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography. This interesting brain scanning method is different than other methods because it allows one to see how certain parts of the brain interact to cause these debilitating conditions. Other
methods of brain imaging only give a surface view of the brain - which is of very little use for psychiatry.

The authors also touch upon how these areas of the brain cause insomnia, suicide and violence as well. They also point out the different causes of anxiety and depression between the genders. They convincingly describe gender differences from social, psychological, and biological perspectives.

In short: they give you the full picture on depression from every possible angle - literally. In between the pages, interspersed among case histories, personal stories, and scientific explanations, you will find actual pictures of the five areas of the brain they have focused on via SPECT technology:

1.) Basal Ganglia
2.) Deep Limbic System
3.) Anterior Cingulate Gyrus
4.) Temporal Lobes
5.) Prefrontal Cortex

Furthermore, the authors have taken these five areas of the brain, and through thousands of their own patients, compiled their findings on how these five areas interact to cause seven variations of depression and anxiety:

1.) Pure Anxiety
2.) Pure Depression
3.) Mixed Anxiety and Depression
4.) Overfocused Anxiety/Depression
5.) Cyclic Anxiety/Depression
6.) Angry Anxiety/Depression
7.) Unfocused Anxiety/Depression

There's only one drawback to this book: the technical terms can be a bit annoying. I constantly flipped back to beginning chapters to refresh my memory on what they were talking about. The medications and dosages - and their variations, are mind-boggling. Ask your doctor about them.

Despite this, the book is worth the extra memory and concentration required to comprehend it.

It's very empowering too: Dr. Amen is a strong advocate for natural supplements, exercise, and deep diaphragmatic breathing. He also gives the reader a simple, flexible, easy-to-follow diet that'll maximize your brain function. More wisely, however, he directs you towards a way of eating that's based not on a one-size-fits-all mentality, but a diet that is focused on your
particular type of anxiety and/or depression.

He also has his own version of cognitive therapy: ANTS (Automatic Negative Thoughts) and ANTeaters, developed by Amen as a child psychiatrist to help make the ideas a bit more concrete for children. Amen's short chapter on the power of thoughts can help you take more responsibility for your own
thinking.

Closing with "32 Strategies to Overcome Anxiety and Depression," along with a chart summarizing "diagnostic and treatment principles," this book will give you the real knowledge you need to manage your life on a whole new level.

* basal ganglia-sets the body's idling level
* deep limbic system-sets the mind's feeling tone
* anterior cingulated gyrus-helps shift attention
* temporal lobes-helps mood stability, temper control, and memory
* prefrontal cortex-helps with decision making, attention span, judgment, and impulse control

The authors describe in detail the functions associated with each of these brain components, as well as the common difficulties that arise when that particular part of the brain is not functioning well. They proceed to propose a new way of approaching treatment for anxiety and depression, based on their finding that anxiety and depression commonly occur together, that they are largely the result of brain dysfunction, and that there are seven different types of anxiety/depressive disorders, with a number of effective treatment approaches for each type. The seven disorder types the authors describe are:

* Pure Anxiety
* Pure Depression
* Mixed Anxiety and Depression
* Overfocused Anxiety/Depression
* Cyclic Anxiety/Depression
* Temporal Lobe Anxiety/Depression
* Unfocused Anxiety/Depression

The book explores each disorder type in detail, including illustrating the brain functioning patterns the authors have found associated with each, based on their work with Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) scans. It also contains a questionnaire to help the reader identify if he meets the criteria for each disorder type (this questionnaire is not meant to render a diagnosis).

When describing their treatment approaches for each disorder type, the authors go well beyond a thorough discussion of prescription medications to include discussion of natural supplements, diet, cognitive therapy (e.g., changing Automatic Negative Thoughts, or "ANTs), the healing power of relationships, the impact of breathing properly, and biofeedback.

The authors also explore gender differences (e.g., hormonal factors) associated with anxiety/depressive disorders, and the impact of these disorders on families. They include a whole chapter on the topic of insomnia, and conclude with a host of resources.

As is typical of Dr. Amen's books, this book takes a complex subject and breaks it down into essential components that are easy to understand. By including "healthy brain" SPECT scans next to the scans of people suffering from one of the seven anxiety/depressive disorder types, the brain functioning patterns seem very clear. By including real-life anecdotes about the patients that correspond with the brain scans, including their diagnoses, treatment approaches, and treatment results, the book leaves the reader with a feeling of great hope that these disorders can be accurately diagnosed and treated.