Psychological Self-Help: Contents

Psychological Self-Help

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Contents

Chapter 6: Happiness, Depression and Self-Concept

Overview

History and Gender Factors in Depression

The Signs of Depression

Happiness

What is meant by happiness?

How do we become happy?

The Interaction of Happiness and Depression

Martin Seligman’s Thesis on Happiness

Forces Affecting Happiness and Depression

Seligman’s Suggestions for Increasing Happiness

Which life circumstances change our happiness level and which don’t?

More promising routes to happiness

Theories about the Causes of Depression

The result of losses

Genetic-physiological-chemical

Poor social skills = no fun

Helplessness and hopelessness

Exercise: How do you explain things?

Irrational ideas

Unreasonable thinking and faulty conclusions

Self-critical withdrawal

Anger turned inward

Sooty Sarah: A fairy tale

Guilt

Unmet dependency

Impossible goals or no goals

Shame: feeling ashamed of yourself has to be depressing

Lacking self-control causes depression

Summary of the Causes of Depression and How to Use Them

Sad Times in Our Lives

Death

Suicide

Understanding Suicide

Barriers to getting treatment

Rate of suicide by special groups

Predicting suicide is very complex and very difficult

Possible warning signs

Prevention and treatment

Intensive individual psychotherapy

Finding helpful and useful information

Self-injury

The selection of a method—injury or suicide?

How do people stop hurting themselves?

Loss of a relationship: breaking up; estranged from parent

Loneliness

Self-help methods for reducing loneliness:

Loss of Status: Failure and Disappointment

Low Self-Concept and Feelings of Inferiority

Perfectionists and Worriers

Guilt and Regret

What to do about Destructive Guilt

Shame

Exercises for understanding and reducing shame

Boredom, apathy, and tiredness or exhaustion

Methods for Coping with Depression

The Use of Anti-depressants

Level I: Behavior (see chapter 11)

Level II: Emotions (see chapter 12)

Level III: Skills (see chapter 13)

Level IV: Cognitive Methods (chapter 14)

Level V: Unconscious factors (chapter 15)

Conclusion: Final words of advice

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