Book Review: An Unquiet Mind

An Unquiet Mind: A memoir of Moods and Madness

Psychiatrist Kay Redfield Jamison, is turning the tables in An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness. Unlike her previous book, Touched with Fire, Jamison turns the mirror on herself, looking at her own medical condition, that of manic depression.

She takes the bold step of bringing her readers into her world to try to share what many people experience, mental illness. In many cases, it is the result of a chemical imbalance disease, NOT some sort of character flaw or weakness.

Jamison says, “There is a particular kind of pain, elation, loneliness and terror involved in this kind of madness…. It will never end, for madness carves its own reality.”

What is normal for a person with manic depression is captured in great detail by this talented author: “We are all, as Byron put it, differently organized,” Jamison writes.

An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness will make those suffering from manic depression, bipolar disease or any other type of mood disorder feel a little less alone and better understood.

Jamison shares her life from her childhood through living her life now, as what some call her, the healer and the healed. She manages her diagnosis of manic depression with startling results, not only taking control of it, but also turning it into her life’s work.

Jamison has spent her medical career attempting to become the world’s leading expert on what she has lived with and deals with every day, in the hope of healing herself and anyone else with similar mood disorders.

If you are living with manic depression/bipolar disease and feel that no one understands what you are going through, An Unquiet Mind is the perfect book for you. It also makes a great gift for those you love who may also suffer with this chemically imbalanced illness.
Buy now at Amazon=An Unquiet Mind

Share

The Great Depression-Could You Be Depressed?

A lot of people talk about the Great Depression which started with the Stock Market Crash of 1929, but we have certainly been undergoing another Great Depression since the markets took a tumble in late September and early October 2008, and there seems little good news at the moment with respect to recovery from this recession.

The stress and strain of bad news all the time and everyone being worried about making ends meet can take their toll. Money-related stress can be responsible for many health conditions and symptoms. Depression can also be triggered by stressful events in your life, particularly if you have been suffering from health problems.

Depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain. While only a doctor can make a diagnosis on depression, there are several well-known signs and symptoms that accompany clinical depression which can help identify if you are just feeling a bit down or ‘blue’ or have a condition that requires treatment.

Even if you have had a major life event that is happy, such as the birth of a new baby, this can led to stress and/or depression. Up to 10% of women report suffering from post-partum depression. Many people avoid seeking treatment for depression because they believe depression is an embarrassing illness that shows they are ‘weak’ or ‘crazy’ or can’t cope. But it is a treatable medical condition no different from cancer or diabetes-if you would not be embarrassed to get help for them, you should not be embarrassed to seek help for depression.

Other people avoid seeking help because they think the only treatments available are harsh drugs with lots of side effects. The truth is that there are many different effective and safe treatments for depression, including natural remedies. They can be used alone or in combination with one another.

If you are feeling like you are dragging in the morning, or you seem to be lacking in motivation or often find yourself easily irritated, it might be time to get to the root cause of your moods and consult with your doctor to see if you are suffering from stress, or depression.

FURTHER READING
How to Cope With Money-Related Stress: Dealing With Financial Stress During the Recession

Transforming Stress Into Success: How to Minimize Stress and Maximize Success in Today’s Economy

How to Cope with Postpartum Depression

Treating Depression and Anxiety with Natural Remedies

Share

Recession, or Depression?

Some have been arguing since March that we are in a recession. A recession is 2 straight quarters in a row of rising unemployment, prices, and several other factors.

http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2008/03/15/recession_is_here_economist_declares/

In which case, this is now actually a depression, more than 2 fiscal quarters of recession, and also because the stock market and banks have been failing since January of this year, which was the first of the government interventions.

Don’t be fooled by the ‘rally’ toward the end of the week-the market is still down 3,000 points since March, that is, 25% of its value.

Share