Reach for a self-help book as the first port of call in managing depression (pic: istockphoto.com/IvanBastien)
It can be hard to see the light when the cloud of depression darkens your days. But there’s evidence to show that reaching out for self-books and websites can help people who are severely depressed.
Researchers from The University of Manchester studied 2,470 patients with low and high levels of depression. They concluded that ‘low intensity’ interventions such as self-help books and interactive websites were as helpful to people with severe depression as they were to people with milder symptoms. They recommend using self-help books as an initial treatment option.
“Patients with more severe depression can be offered low intensity treatments as part of a stepped care model,” says Professor Peter Bower, who led the research at The University of Manchester.
Have you found any self-help books particularly helpful in managing your depression?
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