Book Review – Overcoming Depression One Step at a Time
Image: Overcoming Depression One Step at a Time by Len Lantz (CC BY-NC-ND)
Synopsis: Len's Star Rating: 7 out of 10. A good workbook on behavioral activation strategies for combatting depression.
BY LEN LANTZ, MD / 7.2.2021; No. 38
Disclaimer: Yes, I am a physician, but I’m not your doctor and this article does not create a doctor-patient relationship. This article is for educational purposes and should not be seen as medical advice. You should consult with your physician before you rely on this information. This post also contains affiliate links. Please click this LINK for the full disclaimer.
Star Rating – 7 out of 10
Rating guide: 1 = horrible, 5 = average and 10 = wow
Authors
Michael Addis and Christopher Martell
About the authors
Michael Addis, PhD, is a psychologist, researcher, Professor in the Department of Psychology at Clark University and Director of the Research Group on Men's Well-Being.
Christopher Martell, PhD, is a psychologist, researcher, Director of the Psychological Services Center and a lecturer in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
General description
Overcoming Depression One Step at a Time is a self-help workbook on implementing behavioral activation (self-activation) strategies to alleviate depression. The authors draw from evidence-based research and offer several strategies for the reader to improve their depression through changes in their habits and activities. The workbook is designed to be worked through slowly and methodically so that the reader has enough time to practice the behavioral activation methods. The authors recommend spending a least one week on each chapter (the book has 9 chapters). Topics covered in this book include:
Increasing behavioral awareness
Addressing avoidance by identifying and correcting it with the TRAP and TRAC strategies
Utilizing ACTION steps to prepare for change
Breaking down overwhelming tasks into smaller, achievable action steps
Unique and most important aspects
Overcoming Depression One Step at a Time is a well-written workbook with many strategies to overcome the negative feedback loop of depressed mood and unhelpful activities. It addresses many of the common patterns that depressed people find themselves in and provides many useful tools for climbing out of depression using behavioral strategies. I was impressed by the authors’ explanations and the provision of numerous tools for getting rid of depression by using behavioral strategies. After I finished reading the workbook, I was convinced that a depressed person who worked through each chapter and practiced the strategies for at least one week (as the authors recommended) would likely see improvement in their mood. There are many powerful strategies explained in Overcoming Depression One Step at a Time. I would have liked to see a list/menu of activities that people can schedule and engage in, as some people with depression have a hard time coming up with enough activities to stay busy throughout each day. Also, I found the cover of the workbook to be uninspiring, which made me less likely to want to pick it up and read it. Important features of this book include:
Explaining the depression loop
Using mindfulness exercises
Providing a logical argument for minimizing substance use based on the interplay of behavior and depression
Overcoming negative/ruminative thinking using the “rumination cues action” (RCA) approach
Separating your actions/activity from your mood so that you are not waiting for your mood to improve to engage in healthy behavior
Best quotes
“The approach described in this workbook has been shown in two large controlled research studies to be an effective strategy for ending depression (Dimidjian et al. 2003; Jacobson et al. 1996). Up till now, there has been no guide available to help people use this approach themselves.”
“Cognitive therapy has been well researched and shown to be effective. However, there is no research that shows that changing the way people think is necessary to treat depression. In fact, the research studies that inspired this workbook (Jacobson et al. 1996) show that changing the way people behave is equally effective.”
“One of the most important things to become aware of as you monitor your activities is the presence of depression loops. Again, depression loops occur when attempts to cope with difficult or painful feelings actually make depression worse. This happens because the attempts to cope, although they may temporarily help you escape from emotional pain or discomfort, actually make things worse in the long run. They either don’t solve a problem that needs solving, or they create additional problems that leave you at risk for depression.”
“Research has shown that regular disruptions in daily routines can place some people at risk for mood disorders like depression (Ehlers, Frank, and Kupfer 1988).”
Who would enjoy this book?
Readers who are looking for an evidence-based workbook focused primarily on behavioral activation strategies to combat depression would likely enjoy Overcoming Depression One Step at a Time.
Who would not enjoy this book?
Someone interested in a self-help book (rather than a workbook) that is designed to communicate behavioral strategies succinctly is unlikely to enjoy Overcoming Depression One Step at a Time.
Conclusion
Overcoming Depression One Step at a Time is a good workbook on behavioral activation strategies for combatting depression.
