15 Books That Shine a Light on Depression for 2022

A quick look at the best books about depression

• Best for dealing with grief: It’s OK That You’re Not OK: Meeting Grief and Loss in a Culture That Doesn’t Understand
• Best holistic view: Unstuck: Your Guide to the Seven-Stage Journey Out of Depression
• Best for spiritual connection: Depression, Anxiety, and Other Things We Don’t Want to Talk About
• Best for a new perspective: The Depression Cure: The 6-Step Program to Beat Depression Without Drugs
• Best for Buddhist philosophy: The Mindful Way Through Depression: Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness
• Best for scientific explanation: The Upward Spiral: Using Neuroscience to Reverse the Course of Depression, One Small Change at a Time
• Best for pessimists: The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can’t Stand Positive Thinking
• Best for a natural lifestyle: Depression-Free, Naturally: 7 Weeks to Eliminating Anxiety, Despair, Fatigue, and Anger from Your Life
• Best for multiple perspectives: The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression
• Best for changing your mood: Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy
• Best for positive thinking: Change Your Brain, Change Your Life
• Best for breaking bad habits: Undoing Depression: What Therapy Doesn’t Teach You and Medication Can’t Give You
• Best for mindfulness: Full Catastrophe Living
• Best for entertainment: Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things
• Best for educators: Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain

Depression is more than just feeling down. It is a mood disorder that affects how you think. It can affect individuals in different ways.

Depression affects people and you can learn more about it. You will learn how treatments and lifestyle changes can help people with symptoms.

There are a lot of resources out there, including the following books that offer a different perspective.

What is depression?

Depression is a mood disorder that can cause many people to feel sad, lost, or angry on a regular basis. It can include feelings of self-loathing or a lack of self-esteem, and it can interfere with everyday activities.

Depression can come up in different ways for different people. For instance, it can interfere with your day-to-day work, causing you to lose track of time and productivity. Or it might affect your relationships and may worsen some chronic health conditions, including arthritis, asthma, cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity.

Some of the most common symptoms of depression are:

• “It’s a feeling of sad, anxious, or empty.”
• It feels like a worthless, pessimistic feeling.
• A lot of crying.
• I feel annoyed or angry.
• You lost interest in hobbies or activities.

How do you treat depression?

A common method to treat depression is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This type of cognitive and behavioral psychotherapy is one of the most evidence-based psychological treatments for depression. Based on the concept that negative feelings or actions come from current distorted beliefs or thoughts, CBT changes the thought patterns of the patient so that, over time, mood and behavior change, too.

A therapist for CBT works in a structured setting to help you figure out how you think about and behave in a challenging situation. They create more balanced or constructive responses to help mitigate or remove the negative situation.

Other treatments for depression include medications like:

• Serotonin reuptake drugs are used.
• SNDRIs are reuptake inhibitors of the drug serotonin-norepinephrine.
• Tricyclic antidepressants are used.
• The drugs are called the antidepressants.
• Dopamine reuptake blockers are used.
• 5-HT1A antagonists are used.
• 5-HT2 antagonists.
• 5-HT3 antagonists.
• The monoamine oxidase inhibitors is a class of drugs.
• Noradrenergic antagonists are used.

It is a good idea to read up on depression and get a better idea of what it can mean.

“There are many books that can help you feel more understood, provide some sort of support, and offer education on the topic. These books won’t be a substitute for professional help or medication, so take a look below.”

How we chose

The books written by professionals in mental health or people who have overcome depression in their own lives give them expertise on the subject. Some of the books have been featured on the best-sellers list.

Pricing guide

• $ = under $15
• $$ = $15–$18
• $$$ = over $18

How to choose

You should think about the books you are looking for when looking for depression books.

• The author has relevant experience, expertise, and reputation.
• If you think the approach or theme will appeal to you, you should read the book.
• If you want to hold your interest, you should try to get a sense of the style and tone of writing.
• It can be helpful to consider feedback from buyers when reviewing other readers.

Healthline’s picks for the best books about depression

Best for dealing with grief

It’s OK That You’re Not OK: Meeting Grief and Loss in a Culture That Doesn’t Understand

• Price: $
• Who it’s best for: people who want to learn about living with grief

Megan Devine wrote “It\’s OK That You\’re Not OK” as a response to society treating grief as something that needs to be fixed and removed from our lives as fast as possible. She says that grief is a natural and sane response to loss.

Megan, who experienced grief as a therapist and witnessed the accidental drowning of her partner, shuns the idea of returning to a “normal” life. Instead, she replaces it with a middle-ground of creating a healthy life with grief.

“You will get advice, stories, research, life tips, and creative andMindfulness-based practices for dealing with grief in this New York Times, Reader’s Digest, HuffPost, and NPR’s Radio times- featured book.”

Unstuck: Your Guide to the Seven-Stage Journey Out of Depression

• Price: $$$
• Who it’s best for: those looking for a The approach isholistic.

Sometimes psychotherapy and antidepressants simply don’t work for people struggling with mental health issues. In his book, “Unstuck: Your Guide to the Seven-Stage Journey Out of Depression,” James Gordon uses his 40-year trailblazing career in psychiatry to bring you a seven-stage process that can work.

Gordon shows readers that there are other ways to deal with depression, using a combination of supplements, exercise, and Chinese medicine.

Depression, Anxiety, and Other Things We Don’t Want to Talk About

• Price: $
• Who it’s best for: those who believe in God and value spirituality

“Ryan Casey Waller believes that we are not meant to manage the mental illness that we struggle with. He says that mental health issues are not a symptom of failing spiritual or faith, and that the battle doesn’t need to be lonely and discouraging as experienced by so many.”

Waller invites us to talk about mental health without shame and discover why self-awareness is important. He encourages us to explore how psychology, biology, and spirituality intersect and discover different ways to heal.

The Depression Cure: The 6-Step Program to Beat Depression Without Drugs

• Price: $
• Who it’s best for: those who prefer or need to avoid drugs

Depression rates have gone up in our modern society.

“Stephen Ilardi, PhD, reminds us that our bodies weren’t designed to function well with poor sleeping and eating habits and long work hours.”

He uses examples of techniques to combat depression that are inspired by the Kaluli of New Zealand, who are still untouched by modern technology.

Ilardi is a clinical psychology associate professor at the University of Kansas and conducts research on mental health and depression. His program, the Therapeutic Lifestyle Change (TLC), is based on years of clinical research. It revolves heavily around lifestyle changes, such as physical activity and social connection, for antidepressant benefit.

The Mindful Way Through Depression: Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness

• Price: $$$
• Who it’s best for: those looking to bring mindfulness to their lives

Mindfulness is a Buddhist philosophy that began about 2,600 years ago. Psychologists believe real mental health benefits can come from breathing and being in the moment.

The authors of “The Mindful Way Through Depression” are J. Mark G. Williams, DPhil, John D. Teasdale, PhD, and Zindel V. Segal, PhD. They emphasize how trying to simply snap out of depression can lead to more negative feelings. They explore other methods of defeating those negative feelings.

Mindfulness comes with so many benefits, including stress reduction, anxiety control, and improved emotional health. This book does a great job of explaining how mindfulness works to combat a negative thought process and how you can use it to help with depression.

The Upward Spiral: Using Neuroscience to Reverse the Course of Depression, One Small Change at a Time

• Price: $$$
• Who it’s best for: those who like to understand how things work

There’s a science behind how depression works. Causes can be biological or circumstantial, or a combination of both, such as brain chemistry, hormones, family history, medical conditions, and substance misuse.

Alex Korb explains in his book how depression can be caused by the process in your brain.

He outlines tips for applying neuroscience research to rewire your brain to make you feel better.

This book is great for people with depression or just looking at how our brains function and deal with different emotions.

The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can’t Stand Positive Thinking

• Price: $$
• Who it’s best for: those who find happiness in the unconventional

“This is a book for people who don’t like self-help books. Not everyone is wired to respond to a positive word.”

The Antidote takes a more serious approach. The book explores how embracing some negative feelings can be uplifting.

“Money, romance, and family are some aspects of life that people don’t always find themselves fulfilled in. This book is written for people who might be unhappy in other ways.”

Depression-Free, Naturally: 7 Weeks to Eliminating Anxiety, Despair, Fatigue, and Anger from Your Life

• Price: $$
• Who it’s best for: those looking to lead a natural lifestyle

It’s been said that you are what you eat. Nutritionist Joan Mathews Larson, PhD, believes imbalances and deficiencies are the cause of depression and anxiety. Some vitamins, herbs and supplements and types of food have been found to help those with depression, including vitamin D, the keto diet and certain teas.

She offers tips for emotional healing and suggestions for foods, vitamins, and minerals to boost health and keep depression at bay.

The book allows for self-screening for certain behavioral symptoms, followed by a guided plan to help heal your mind and body and become a healthier person overall.

The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression

• Price: $$
• Who it’s best for: those who are looking for various perspectives

Depression is not a single-size-fits-all disorder. It can affect everyone differently, and that is what the movie tries to show.

Andrew Solomon explores depression from many angles. His account includes his personal struggle and experience, as well as the experiences of those he has interviewed, including others with depression. The ethics of biological questions that the illness poses are discussed.

Depression and its treatments are complex according to many different perspectives.

Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy

• Price: $$
• Who it’s best for: those who are looking to break specific negative patterns

Negative thought patterns can fuel depression.

Dr. David Burns outlines techniques to break out of these patterns in his book “Feeling Good.”

The book helps you to think about negative feelings and help you with addiction.

The guide to antidepressants and more information on treatment options for depression are included in the latest edition of this book.

Change Your Brain, Change Your Life

• Price: $
• Who it’s best for: those who want science-backed evidence behind advice

Contrary to the old saying, you actually can teach an old dog new tricks. Did you know this applies to retraining your brain, too? Many of us deal with unhealthy thought patterns that we would greatly benefit from ditching. The good news is we’re able to change our thought patterns. It just takes work.

In his book, Dr. Daniel Amen uses scientific evidence to give you brain prescriptions that help you retrain your mind. He offers tips to diffuse automatic negative thoughts which can lower our self-esteem, make it difficult to make decisions, and put a strain on our relationships.

He gives tips on a number of mental health concerns.

Undoing Depression: What Therapy Doesn’t Teach You and Medication Can’t Give You

• Price: $$$
• Who it’s best for: those who want to break bad habits

“Taking on depression is something that is practical. Richard O’Connor, PhD, a practicing therapist, focuses on the aspects of this condition that are within our control.”

The book offers tips and techniques for replacing depressed thoughts with healthy ones.

Full Catastrophe Living

• Price: $$
• Who it’s best for: those who want to ease stress and live in the present

It is easy to overlook the effect stress has on our moods and well-being in our fast-paced society.

The book “Full Catastrophe Living” teaches you how to live in the moment and not be stressed out. The book combines mind and body approaches to help you reduce stress and improve your overall well-being.

Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things

• Price: $
• Who it’s best for: those who love a good laugh

Jenny Lawson has experience with depression and other conditions.

“While living with severe depression, she found light in the darkness and shared that with her readers. She says that she thinks people with severe depression might be able to experience extreme joy in a way that normal people can’t. That is what the title of the show is all about.”

The book shows how depression and mental illness can affect people.

Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain

• Price: $
• Who it’s best for: those who love to move

Exercise is more than keeping you fit and preventing heart disease. It is a powerful ally against depression.

Aerobic exercise is effective in reducing symptoms from several mental conditions, according to a new study.

The book tries to help readers eliminate depression and increase their intelligence, memory, and mood.

When to see a doctor

It is natural to feel lonely, sad, or depressed from time to time. These are reactions to the events that happen in life. If you feel depressed, you should see a doctor.

• Turn into a state of despair.
• become overwhelming.
• It lasts for a long time.
• excessive fatigue, loss or gain of appetite, or lack of concentration are some of the physical symptoms that can be caused.
• Change how you lead your life.

Frequently asked questions

Is reading good for depression?

Reading can be good for depression. It can reduce stress, blood pressure, and heart rate, and it can fight certain symptoms of depression.

Can books trigger depression?

In general, reading books won’t directly cause depression, especially since it’s been shown to boost moods, reduce stress, and provide a mental escape. However, if you have strong connections to trauma, some content may trigger feelings of depression. For this reason, it’s important to check content warnings and make sure that anything you’re reading is something that won’t upset you.

Does reading reduce depression?

Reading can be therapeutic and alleviate depressive symptoms, but it’s not a cure for depression.

Takeaway

Reading about depression can help you understand yourself.

The books listed here can help you understand how to change your thoughts, and how to overcome some negative thoughts.

These books are not meant to replace the advice and care of a mental health professional. If you find managing your mental health difficult, schedule an appointment with a licensed professional.