Image: Activating Happiness by Len Lantz (CC BY-NC-ND)
Synopsis: Len's Star Rating: 7 out of 10. A good book on behavioral activation and other life strategies for dealing with depression.
BY LEN LANTZ, MD, author of unJoy / 7.1.2021; No. 37
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Star Rating – 7 out of 10
Rating guide: 1 = horrible, 5 = average and 10 = wow
Author
Rachel Hershenberg
About the author
Rachel Hershenberg, PhD, is a researcher, clinical psychologist, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and the Director of Psychotherapy in the Treatment Resistant Depression Program at Emory University.
General description
Activating Happiness is a self-help book on implementing behavioral activation strategies and developing motivation and healthy lifestyle habits to alleviate depression. The author draws from evidence-based research and the psychotherapeutic approaches of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to explain helpful strategies for getting and staying free from depression. Topics covered in this book include:
5 guiding principles
Principle 1: approach rather than avoid
Principle 2: self-care leaves more energy to engage in activities you value
Principle 3: procrastination is an emotional decision to avoid discomfort
Principle 4: when your schedule is full, you do more
Principle 5: stay on track by sharing momentary victories
Habits for relaxation
The choice point TRAP
How to break down a goal to be more specific, achievable and measurable
The tactic of “coping ahead”
Unique and most important aspects
Activating Happiness surprised me, as I was expecting mainly to read an updated, layman’s explanation of behavioral activation for depression. Instead, the author covered a large variety of strategies, tips and tricks that work quite well for achieving and maintaining optimal mental health. I found myself nodding in agreement with her recommendations of what works and why. While the text is easy to read, structured and well-written, the author’s advice is a bit of an eclectic mix. Rather than detracting from her main points, the assortment of ideas will likely help most readers find several useful takeaways. I believe if the author had added more patient stories, it would have enlivened the text but also would have made the book a longer read. I would have liked the forms that Dr. Hershenberg referenced (which are available online) to also have been included in an appendix. Important features of this book include:
The concept of microprocrastinations
Explaining different forms of conflict
Approach- Avoidance
Approach-Approach
Avoidance-Avoidance
Knowing and leveraging your circadian rhythm
The benefit of choosing sleep as your keystone habit
The strategy of signaling your brain to initiate a healthy behavior/habit
How to leverage the Zeigarnik effect
Distinguishing action urges from action patterns
How to apply the Premack Principle to motivate and reward yourself
Categorizing and dealing with responses from others
Passive-constructive
Active-destructive
Passive-destructive
Best quote
“The challenging part is establishing the habit…because trying to establish new habits across multiple domains would feel overwhelming, I encourage you to pick just one. With your first habit area in motion – often referred to as a keystone habit – other behaviors that are related tend to cascade into place. In other words, the first habit can have a domino effect.”
Who would enjoy this book?
Readers who are looking for an evidence-based book that covers a variety of healthy habits to beat depression would likely enjoy Activating Happiness.
Who would not enjoy this book?
Someone interested in a self-help book or workbook that only focuses on behavioral activation strategies is unlikely to enjoy Activating Happiness.
Conclusion
Activating Happiness is a good book on behavioral activation and other life strategies for dealing with depression.