The RSA videos are very engaging, especially a group under the banner of RSA Animate. Instead of watching a person for 10 minutes, you are drawn into the content through a cartoon developed in parallel with the talk.

The one below is a presentation by Barbara Ehrenreich, author of “Nickel and Dimed”. It’s about unrealistic positivity (“keeping up appearances” in my parlance).

Much of the video is about the corporate workplace, where expressing pessimism can be a death knell. I know this from personal experience. My corporate career swung up and down in line with my moods. A long spell of unbridled, hypomanic optimism saw me climb the ladder with frightening speed. When the crash came I was immediately out of step with corporate culture and my shelf life was curtailed. Then new job, rinse and repeat.

To my way of thinking, reciting affirmations is a close cousin to unrealistic, unquestioning optimism. Barbara Ehrenreich touches on this in the video. I’ve tried affirmations many times, and given up just as many. Do affirmations change your world?

Depressed folk like me gravitate to the self-help section of Amazon. There is no shortage of advice on the power of positivity. As much as I wish I was a magnet for happiness, my life is more complicated and just thinking it so won’t make it so. That is why this video resonates with me.

If you can’t see the player then watch the video on YouTube. To watch more of the RSA Animate videos visit the RSA blog.

Books that are written for depressed people are everywhere. Books that are written for their caregivers are hard to find. There is often a chapter for caregivers at the end of a book, but the advice can be superficial for lack of space.

“Back From the Brink Too” is devoted entirely to caregivers. It’s an excellent resource, and being a caregiver myself, I devoured it in a couple of sittings. Lovely.

The book’s author, Graeme Cowan, suffered severe depression over an extended period. As he recovered he was inspired by other people’s stories of their own recoveries. This was the basis of his first book “Back From the Brink”.

“Back From the Brink Too” is another collection plus more, this time focused on the needs of caregivers. It is down-to-earth and practical; a genuine “how-to” volume for helping a loved one with depression and working through the issues faced as a caregiver.

Graeme interviewed 550 people: 300 with depression and 250 caregivers. It is fair to say the book is well grounded in people’s experiences. He quotes from them extensively. One memorable example is “I wished I understood that he was mentally ill and not a bastard”. Very applicable stuff!

The interviews are complemented with plenty of current research.

A good chunk of the book covers a 7-step “plan”:

• Building Knowledge
• Learning to listen
• Finding the right help
• Providing the best support
• Finding help for you
• Taking care of yourself
• Surviving a crisis

I found all of the sections to be helpful, but especially the 3rd. It is basically a guide for navigating the health system, where to look for help, what to say to health professionals, how to make the most of medical appointments, and finding help for a child or adolescent. Very handy if you don’t have much experience with this. It is written around the Australian health system but most if not all would apply anywhere.

I would have liked more emphasis on helping someone to remain well after recovery or to be resilient in the early stages of illness. Perhaps there will be a “Back to the Brink 3″ with more on this. But the book is great and I highly recommend it.

N.B. This is an Australian book and not available on Amazon (yet), however there is a paid download. For more information and other resources visit Graeme Cowan’s website.

Reviewed by Anna.

Therese Borchard has written a great little book. Not only is it small in size (it fits into my handbag, which is saying something) but it is easy to read in small chunks. It’s a collection of 144 tools and techniques she has learned over many years of suffering with bipolar disorder and other illnesses.

I loved the book, and found it funny, profound and useful.

Number 47 is one of many that resonated: “Process heat and suffering like a coffee bean”. Therese tells the story of a chef who was listening to his daughter vent about life being hard. He boiled three pots of water: one with a carrot in it, one an egg and one a coffee bean.

He then said to his daughter, “When you confront adversity, which one will you be? The carrot that starts out strong but wilts under pressure? The egg that becomes callous and bitter? Or the coffee bean, which makes something useful, tasty, even beautiful from the boiling water?”

Just great.

Here’s my problem: who do I recommend it to? If you are having a mental health crisis, then this book won’t solve it. You need professional help. If you are recovering from an episode of mental illness, then it will resonate and you should find it helpful. If you are a caregiver, then it will give you lots of ideas.

I’ve been using the tools in parenting. Not that I tell my children that, but I’ve found myself trying out some of the techniques on them and they are working. ; )

I’m sure it’s not what Therese had in mind.

View the book on Amazon (not an affiliate link).

Reviewed by Anna.

Does it sound too good to be true?

You’ll be absolutely delighted with your new life. No more exhaustion, no more worrying, no more uncertainty and no more fear. You’ll enjoy living again, you’ll have greater self-confidence, you’ll know you can deal with problems and situations effectively and you’ll enjoy peace of mind.

Plenty of online folk offer the cure for depression. To wile away some of my free time I decided to see what they have in common.

A killer headline:
Dominate Your Depression With These Breakthrough Remedies and Revolutionary Mental Tactics Expertly Devised to Destroy Even the Most Stubborn Depression!

Credibility:
I spent over TWO YEARS reading every book, listening to every seminar, talking to every “expert” I could find…

Everything you’ve heard before is wrong:
What we found as we studied depression in our clients and emerging research about how the brain actually works, is that the public is so misinformed it’s almost a con.

And there is no value in traditional medical treatment:
Page 57 is the page health professionals don’t want you to read!

In fact, forget everything that you’ve tried in the past:
You’ve probably tried countless other methods, treatments and so-called “magic pills” to date – with little or no success.

Because the cause is not what you’ve been told:
It has nothing to do with brain chemicals, circumstances, trauma or illness…

Everything you need to know is in one place…right here:
I’ve helped thousands of other sufferers do it, and today I’ll help you too. Because for the first time, all of the information you need to conquer stress, depression and anxiety is now available to you. And when you put it into action, it will cut through these problems like a hot knife through butter.

It is easy to understand:
…the best part is that I’ve written these secrets in language that is so effortlessly simple that even an 8-year-old could easily understand and MASTER this stuff…

And just as quick to apply:
A simple cure for depression that works instantly any time you need it…you’re going to experience massive benefits from this program INSTANTLY.

It’s permanent:
Once you’ve beaten stress, depression and anxiety, you’ll have beaten them FOREVER!

To prove it we have testimonials:
“Buying [your book] online was the best thing I’ve ever done for myself. I can’t thank you enough. I’ve tried dozens of other books, and tapes, as well as many therapy sessions; and they did absolutely nothing for me…Your method works INSTANTLY.”

This is genuine:
Please do not mistake it for Internet hype or an exaggerated sales pitch.

You won’t find it anywhere else:
You’re NOT going to find the incredible knowledge inside of this program ANYWHERE ELSE on the planet — I know this because I had to figure it out from scratch.

And you have my 100% personal guarantee:
It will come to a relief to you when I say that I stand by this program and personally guarantee you FREEDOM from your depression and any symptoms attached to it.

So take action!
Click here immediately. My no-risk guarantee means you have nothing to lose!

Special Bonus #4:
The “Conquer Stress, Depression and Anxiety Quick-Start Guide”. You want relief and you want it FAST…You’ll be armed with ten easy-to-apply techniques to begin winning the fight against stress, depression and anxiety TODAY. A $19.95 value.

P.S. # 2
…These must-have strategies and cures are ironclad battle plans that will wage war and unleash a ‘Secret Weapon’ that will render your depression cured and defeated!

I love sneaking out of bed late at night to watch the shopping channel. These cures for depression sound strangely familiar.

I’ll leave Chris Rock, of all people, to sum it up.

The team of 4 are currently on the island of Spitsbergen in Norway. They are spending two days of preparations, testing skis, packing sleds with food and gear, and outfitting their polar clothing, before flying by Antonov-74 aircraft to the Ice Station Borneo.

(Has anyone else read “Ice Station” by Matthew Reilly? Ouch!)

Actually Borneo is a Russian scientific base, erected in April each year on the the moving ice flows in the heart of the Arctic Ocean.

On the 16th they will fly by Mi-8 helicopter to around 50km of the North Pole depending on current drift rate of the floating ice. From there they will spend 4-5 days skiing and sled hauling to the Pole, dragging themselves through the incredible icescapes of the the Arctic Ocean, with iconic features like pressure ridges, rubble, and leads of open water.

At this time of year daylight is enjoyed 24-hours a day, a blessing for those with SAD!

Although I’m glad they’re not going in May or June.

The objective of the expedition is very worthy – to raise medical research funds and increase awareness about Bipolar Disorder. If you want to get on board, with financial support or otherwise, then it’s not too late. To read more visit the BiPolar Expedition website.

I’ve been browsing around stock image sites, searching on the word “depressed”. Here’s what I came up with.

I like to look like this when I’m depressed:

How about you?

I read two kinds of books. Quick, enjoyable, check-the-brain-out, junky fiction, and books that need to be read slowly, thought about, re-read and then considered some more.

Therese Borchard’s new book, “Beyond Blue”, is in the second category.

Personal accounts of mental illness have formed their own genre in recent years, and for many people there isn’t much room left on the bookshelf. But “Beyond Blue” is different.

Therese has sewn helpful and factual information seamlessly through the book, without being narrow or preaching. Her chatty, humorous, self-deprecating writing style makes this heavy topic easier to read and, in my own words, more digestible.

In the first part of the book Therese recounts her story thus far. It is intense. Perhaps for this reason she inserts “Sanity Breaks” in every second chapter. An excerpt from a poem, a collection of tips (“9 Ways to Stop Obsessing”) or a different angle on a topic (“30 Ways Motherhood Is Like a Mental Illness”).

A sanity break for her or us? I’m not sure.

Something that really sticks out is the succession of psychiatrists she saw in a brief period, who failed to treat her adequately. Number 6, “Pharma King”, tried 14 different medications in 3 months! Thankfully number 7 helped get her out of the psych ward and on the road to recovery.

In the second section of the book Therese takes us for a tour inside her brain.

“I introduce you to some of the demons that live there rent free. I share some techniques I’ve used to evict the cheap guys, and how I go about erecting all those damn boundaries in my life…so I can continue down Recovery Lane.”

The section also contains plenty of factual info, sound advice and of course Therese’s trademark wit in good measure.

If I was disappointed by anything, I was left wondering how the kids are faring now. I also wanted a chapter from husband Eric at the end. But they are small complaints!

Therese is never slow to point out her faults, making her easy to relate to and far from aloof. Her recount of tragedy and great sense of humor somehow fit hand in hand. The book’s subtitle is “Surviving Depression & Anxiety & Making the Most of Bad Genes”. As a reflection of the content and writing style it couldn’t be more apt.

I would definitely recommend “Beyond Blue”, especially if you are interested in mental health, don’t mind a bit of intensity, and enjoy a dry, witty sense of humor.

I’ve been taking part in an interesting study about the causes of happiness. Happiness isn’t the end-goal of life for me, but I decided to sign up out of interest, and for insights I could gain into how to improve my health.

There are 50 mini-surveys in all, but they are quick to fill in. I chose to complete 5 a day, and the link is sent by email. SMS is an alternative.

I’m now half-way through, so it’s a good spot to share some pretty charts.

If there is a real weakness in this, it’s that at the individual level the results are close to being meaningless. I can see a few patterns emerging but not much. But I expect that responses will be collated across thousands, and be much more insightful.

Like most people I’m quite happy on a Friday afternoon and not so good on a Monday morning. This picture is based on just a few observations each day, but it still fits the picture.

I’m happier at home than at work. This is a no-brainer. Actually I hardly ever go to the office, only on Mondays, and I never feel too happy about it.

There is no relationship between my happiness and level of focus, but it makes an odd dot drawing.

I’m happier inside and alone. I hate sunlight and I like to hide.

Being productive makes me happier. Or does being happier make me productive? No, I’m a male, so being productive makes me happier.

If taking part interests you the project is at Track Your Happiness.

Most people head for a search engine to look for information, which is the first obstacle in finding what you need. Search engines are generally good at giving relevant results, but there is always rubbish in there as well. Search engines aren’t perfect.

Google is the most popular engine by far, because its results are normally good and it’s fast. In ranking websites Google places emphasis on links between same or similar industry websites. A blog about depression that has been linked to by large, reputable mental illness organzations will outrank a similar blog that is popular with large gambling sites. This makes sense for ranking sites by credibility.

I’ll write about Google here because it has such a large share of the market, but the same issues apply to other search engines.

When you type the search term “depression” into Google, you receive a lot of results for reliable sources. The first 10, 20 or 50 appear mostly good. But what about the other 120 million results? Click a few pages forward and the odd website looks a bit dubious, and it goes slowly downhill from there.

But the biggest roadblocks to finding reliable information are at the tops and sides of Google pages. In these positions there are 10 or so results under the subtle gray titles “Sponsored Links”. These are paid advertisements. If you look at the sponsored listings you can see that they are generally sales based. On the front page of my search one of the results is “Depression Free in 3 Minutes”. (LOL). For such a high rank this site will be paying at least $2 a click. It wouldn’t be advertising if it wasn’t making more than $2 per visitor for whatever it is selling.

Call me a fool but it took me years to realize that “Sponsored Links” can be anything, with no implication about reputation or credibility. There will be many others, especially new users, who like me lack this same knowledge. They click and find themselves on a site looking for the promised information, while the seller is taking them by the arm and guiding them towards the transaction tunnel.

Ads like these are now everywhere. They are on newspaper sites, blogs, portals, health sites, anywhere that the site owner wants to make a bit of extra money delivering Google ads to his or her visitors. Web designers blend them into their websites, so the distinction between content and advertising is blurred, even with the subtle “Sponsored Links” displayed somewhere close by. Blah!

Thanks to Dawn at the Experience Project for providing the idea and much of the information for this post.

Just about everyone is reading it. Are you?

Click here for my review of the book, here for the first chapter,
here for some very favorable reviews on Amazon, or here for
the author’s website.

(No affiliate links or gratuities received. Just a great book.)