Book by Nelson psychologist aims to help those living with depression
by Samantha Gee, [URL="http://stuff.co.nz"]Stuff.co.nz
[/URL]March 15 2016
Nelson psychologist Jan Marsh has released a book with the aim of giving those living with depression the tools to help them take control of their life.
Several years in the making, her book Harnessing Hope, draws on knowledge from local and international experts for dealing with mild to moderate depression.
"When people are depressed they haven't got a lot of concentration, they haven't got a lot of motivation they tend to think that they have tried everything and this has really got them down," she said.
Marsh wanted the book to be simple, easy for people to read and accessible to a wide audience.
"Quite often I have found in my work it is simpler than many people think but it takes a certain amount of commitment and persistence to do the simple basic things."
The book answers two key questions; what is depression and what causes it? If I have depression, what can I do about it?
Marsh, who has been a clinical pyschologist for 40 years, said it offered ways to address the mind, body and spirit while dealing with depression and it included a section with practical tips.
The spirit section was not necessarily about religion but about connecting with something bigger than yourself which could be family, society or even just taking time out to go for a walk in a natural surrounding, Marsh said.
"Things that you can actually do for yourself that are quite simple, they don't cost money," she said.
She said it was important for people to engage in self care and manage their thoughts - not to believe in every depressive thought that came by.
While there were good books available that focused on people's personal experiences of depression, Marsh felt there was a need for something that summarised a range of different tools and resources in one place.
Marsh said former All Black Sir John Kirwan had been a great advocate for raising awareness of depression.
"I think he has been great for demystifying depression and letting people know that it is nothing to be ashamed of," Marsh said.
Marsh said statistics show around one in four people suffer from depression at some stage during their lives and that women tended to be slightly more affected by depression than men.
"In the course of a lifetime, quite a high proportion of people will have some experience of depression," Marsh said.
She said it was important people felt empowered to make positive changes in their lives.
"Depression is so dis-empowering that the whole atmosphere of depression is helplessness ... so it is really important to find a few simple things to take action on and gain some control."
Harnessing Hope by Jan Marsh, available online at Exisle Publishing and in bookstores from April 1.
Tips for managing depression
Take care of yourself physically - breathe, relax, sleep, eat well and exercise.
- Aim for 15 minutes a day doing some form of relaxation
- Find a balanced diet that suits you and eat at regular meal times
- Thoughts are not facts, observe them as if they are clouds passing across the sky
Take care of your thoughts and feelings - focus, manage your emotions and understand your beliefs
- Monitor what is going on in your mind chatter
- Change the channel and distract yourself from troubling feelings
- Be patient with yourself and others, everything changes and bad times pass
Be mindful of your connections - values, gratitude, compassion, resilience and relationships.
- Check the parts of your life you value the most are getting the most of your time and attention
- Keep a gratitude journal, noting a few things each day you are grateful for
- Find ways to contribute to your community.
by Samantha Gee, [URL="http://stuff.co.nz"]Stuff.co.nz
[/URL]March 15 2016
Nelson psychologist Jan Marsh has released a book with the aim of giving those living with depression the tools to help them take control of their life.
Several years in the making, her book Harnessing Hope, draws on knowledge from local and international experts for dealing with mild to moderate depression.
"When people are depressed they haven't got a lot of concentration, they haven't got a lot of motivation they tend to think that they have tried everything and this has really got them down," she said.
Marsh wanted the book to be simple, easy for people to read and accessible to a wide audience.
"Quite often I have found in my work it is simpler than many people think but it takes a certain amount of commitment and persistence to do the simple basic things."
The book answers two key questions; what is depression and what causes it? If I have depression, what can I do about it?
Marsh, who has been a clinical pyschologist for 40 years, said it offered ways to address the mind, body and spirit while dealing with depression and it included a section with practical tips.
The spirit section was not necessarily about religion but about connecting with something bigger than yourself which could be family, society or even just taking time out to go for a walk in a natural surrounding, Marsh said.
"Things that you can actually do for yourself that are quite simple, they don't cost money," she said.
She said it was important for people to engage in self care and manage their thoughts - not to believe in every depressive thought that came by.
While there were good books available that focused on people's personal experiences of depression, Marsh felt there was a need for something that summarised a range of different tools and resources in one place.
Marsh said former All Black Sir John Kirwan had been a great advocate for raising awareness of depression.
"I think he has been great for demystifying depression and letting people know that it is nothing to be ashamed of," Marsh said.
Marsh said statistics show around one in four people suffer from depression at some stage during their lives and that women tended to be slightly more affected by depression than men.
"In the course of a lifetime, quite a high proportion of people will have some experience of depression," Marsh said.
She said it was important people felt empowered to make positive changes in their lives.
"Depression is so dis-empowering that the whole atmosphere of depression is helplessness ... so it is really important to find a few simple things to take action on and gain some control."
Harnessing Hope by Jan Marsh, available online at Exisle Publishing and in bookstores from April 1.
Tips for managing depression
Take care of yourself physically - breathe, relax, sleep, eat well and exercise.
- Aim for 15 minutes a day doing some form of relaxation
- Find a balanced diet that suits you and eat at regular meal times
- Thoughts are not facts, observe them as if they are clouds passing across the sky
Take care of your thoughts and feelings - focus, manage your emotions and understand your beliefs
- Monitor what is going on in your mind chatter
- Change the channel and distract yourself from troubling feelings
- Be patient with yourself and others, everything changes and bad times pass
Be mindful of your connections - values, gratitude, compassion, resilience and relationships.
- Check the parts of your life you value the most are getting the most of your time and attention
- Keep a gratitude journal, noting a few things each day you are grateful for
- Find ways to contribute to your community.
