Paths to Light: The Best Books on Depression
Depression is an illness characterized by persistent sadness and a lack of interest in activities that used to be part of a person's daily life, as well as the inability to perform routine tasks such as sleeping, eating, or studying. This illness can be caused by a range of biological, genetic, and psychological factors and can present in various forms.
Most people tend to associate depression with a state of sadness, but This disease affects much more than the expression of an emotion. Likewise, not all people with depression experience the same symptoms. If you'd like to delve deeper into this topic, check out our list of the best books on depression.
These are the best books ever written about depression.
Inflammation of the Mind: A Radical New Way to Address Depression (2023), by Edward Bullmore
Translated into Spanish by Fernando Borrajo, this book presents the views of one of today's most cited scientists: psychiatrist Edward Bullmore, who proposes a different way of understanding depression and the relationship this disease has with brain inflammation. The renowned scientist reiterated that, Despite the evolution of technology, psychiatry continues to offer the same diagnoses and treatments to patients. patients with depression.
In this sense, the professor at the University of Cambridge proposes a revolutionary theory based on research: Mental problems could have their roots in the immune system. The author provides insight into how the brain and the rest of the body work together to help humans cope with an increasingly hostile world.
Quotes by Edward Bullmore
- "What matters much more is that once we've begun to map out a pathway from the body, through the immune system, to the brain and mind... we should be able to find entirely new ways to address mental health disorders."
- "If we could completely cure the UK's depression by the start of the next fiscal year, it would be equivalent to adding roughly 4% to GDP..."
- "In particular, for us, it gives us the opportunity to think differently about the links between the immune system, the brain, behaviors, and moods."
Goodbye, depression (2006), by Enrique Rojas
This book is presented as a step-by-step guide to help patients recognize and cope with depression. One of the most eloquent phrases in the book is: "Anyone who has not suffered from true depression does not truly know what sadness is." After that, the psychiatrist and director of the Spanish Institute of Psychiatric Research proposes to address what it considers the greatest plague of the 19th century.
In ancient times, depression was seen as synonymous with insanity or demonic possession.Later, with the advancement of science, it began to be misdiagnosed as melancholy, later becoming a collection of signs and symptoms that present at different levels in each individual. These and other more recent cases are addressed by Rojas in his book.
Quotes from Enrique Rojas
- "It's very important that the confidential sense of intimacy be sealed with several locks, as this gives the relationship great strength."
- "Maturity is controlling desires and delaying gratification. If we don't give in to our first impulses, we will take control of our lives and enjoy true freedom."
- "Diplomacy is a soft touch, skill in dealing with people, craftsmanship in human relations, savoir faire, courtesy, tact, knowing when to keep quiet and when to speak..."
Love Yourself, a Lot: A Guide to Feeling Good About Yourself and Living More Fulfilling Relationships (2022), by Noemí Seva
The breakup of a romantic relationship can also lead to depression in an emotionally vulnerable person. Therefore, author Noemí Seva explores how to value oneself in order to experience relationships more peacefully and confidently. In this book, the fundamental factor is self-esteem., a construct that is analyzed through an introspective journey.
The author encourages her readers—especially women—to listen to and prioritize themselves in order to feel calm and comfortable within themselves, and to discover how to enjoy emotional relationships without losing their center. In a world where love has become one of the main drivers of depression, Seva offers an almost refreshing text, designed to prevent future disappointments..
Quotes by Noemí Seva
- "When you're single, you sort of like your life and you feel good about yourself, but the moment you're in a relationship and start to feel a more intimate connection with that person, your insecurity kicks in. You feel inadequate, you doubt yourself, and you need to feel chosen to feel valuable."
- "We all want to be liked, and so do I. But what happens when that desire to be liked takes precedence over our own well-being? When that desire to be liked only seeks to meet the needs of others, but not our own."
Toxic Positivity: Real Happiness in a #GoodVibes-Obsessed World (2023), by Whitney Goodman
“Toxic positivity” is a colloquial term that has become popular on social media. This describes a phenomenon in which content creators and people in general seek to give the impression of being always happy and carefree, or, failing that, they create a false sense of well-being in their followers that people try to imitate without much success.
This trend has generated much concern in the global community of psychologists and psychiatrists, who see it as a breeding ground for mental disorders, including depression. In their book, Goodman addresses the concept of happiness, to what extent it is healthy to seek it., and when that attitude of wanting to be happy at all costs can lead to depressive states.
Whitney Goodman Quotes
- Toxic positivity is a cultural force that reinforces: "If you believe it, you can achieve it!" "The only thing standing in your way is you!" "The key to success is a positive mindset!" "If you want to be healthy, you must be positive!" "God will never give you more than you can handle!"
- “Toxic positivity makes us feel alone and disconnected. It prevents us from communicating. It stifles creativity and change. It silences people. It labels things as ‘happiness-inducing’ and ‘happiness-impeding.’”
The Old Companion: My Thirty-Year Battle with Depression (2021), by Anxo Lugilde
This book chronicles Anxo Lugilde, a journalist who, from a very young age, has struggled with depression. In 2020, as the world was collapsing due to the pandemic, the author appeared on the radio and spoke with brutal honesty and irony about his most personal struggles. Later, His talk was transformed into an article for La Vanguardia, and a year later, the whole world would know her through her book.
Anxo Lugilde writes this text from the perspective of someone who has navigated life while dealing with the worst of battles: one against one's own body. The Old Companion is a reminder that anyone, in any context, can suffer from this disease, regardless of their social standing. Likewise, The volume serves as accompaniment and comfort zone.
Quotes by Anxo Lugilde
- "In depression, your brain works against you."
- "Society exacerbates depression with stigma and misunderstanding."
- "I wanted to end the stigma surrounding this disease: that it's for lazy people, that you just have to change your life, that it depends on you... all of that is very damaging."
Facing depression (1995), by Juan Antonio Vallejo-Nágera
En Facing depression, psychiatrist and science writer Juan Antonio Vallejo Nágera offers a close, clear, and compassionate look at one of the most common and often misunderstood mental disorders in history: depression. Using his usual accessible language, the author It provides us with examples that demystify this disease, distancing it from the prejudices and stigmas that usually surround it.
The book explores its biological, psychological, and social causes, while guiding the reader through its symptoms and consequences. Vallejo Nágera not only analyzes depression from a clinical perspective, but also offers resources to help those suffering from the illness. At the same time, These same tools could be useful for friends and family, therefore, in these cases, support is essential.
- "In many ways, childhood is the most important period of our lives, when our personality is formed and the foundations for our future social behavior are laid."
- "Love is a prism that breaks down the light of the soul into different colors. The white of affection turns to the violet of jealousy, to the red of resentful obfuscation."
- "...one of the bitternesses of depression is that it erases the idea and feelings of hope."
- "The suffering of depression is terrible, and incomparable to that of any other illness. Those of us who haven't suffered from depression lack subjective reference points for understanding."
