The term "depression" covers a wide spectrum of conditions ranging from mild despondency to melancholia, the very deepest form of depression. Natural despondency is not a disease but simply a part of life. Depression, however, is a common psychiatric illness that must be identified and treated in the same manner as other illnesses. Depression: The Facts, Second Edition provides a simple, yet comprehensive overview of depression for sufferers, their friends, and families. It contains case-study descriptions and can serve as a quick-reference for those with a medical background. It succinctly details the signs and symptoms of clinical depression, as well as the process of diagnosis and the different subtypes, including major depression, dysthymia, manic depression disorders, and seasonal affective disorder. The second part of the book covers the current understanding of the causes of depression, based on the scientific evidence. The book concludes with a review of treatment options and practical guidance on self-help in depression, as well as useful advice for family and friends. The main aim of this book is to reach those who need help and want to understand themselves and their condition more, in an easy-to-read format without an excess of medical terminology and statistics that may overwhelm the non-medically trained individual. All concepts have been broken down into bullet-points and sub-headings, to allow easy digestion of the concepts and information. This empowers the reader, and may ultimately prompt someone to seek help and support.

Approximately one million people worldwide commit suicide each year, and at least ten times as many attempt suicide. A considerable number of these people are in contact with members of the healthcare sector, and encounters with suicidal individuals form a common part of the everyday work of many healthcare professionals. Suicide: An unnecessary death examines the pharmacological, psychotherapeutic, and psychosocial measures adopted by psychiatrists, GPs, and other health-care staff, and emphasizes the need for a clearer psychodynamic understanding of the self if patients are to be successfully recognized, diagnosed, and treated. Drawing on the latest research by leading international experts in the field of suicidology, this new edition provides clinicians with an accessible summary of the latest research into suicide and its prevention. The abundance of new literature can make it difficult for those whose clinical practice involves daily contact with suicidal patients to devote sufficient time to penetrating the research and, accordingly, apply new findings in their clinical practice. In light of the WHO Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2020, this new edition is a timely contribution to the field, and a vital and rapid overview, that will increase awareness of suicide prevention methods.

Approximately 1 million people commit suicide world-wide annually and around 10 million attempt suicide each year. Suicide is a major public health problem throughout the world, and major efforts are currently being made to help reduce these numbers. However, suicide is the result of complex interactions between a range of factors, including historical, psychological, cultural, biological, and social, and any approach to treating the problem of suicide has to consider all these factors. This new edition of the Oxford Textbook of Suicidology and Suicide Prevention has been thoroughly updated and expanded since publication of the first edition in 2009. This comprehensive resource covers all aspects of suicidal behaviour and suicide prevention from a number of different perspectives, including its underlying religious and cultural factors; its political, social and economic causes; its psychiatric and somatic determinants; and its public health impacts. The new edition includes several new clinically focussed chapters devoted to major psychiatric disorders and their relation to suicide, including mood and anxiety disorders, substance abuse, psychosis/schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, and personality disorders. It also includes a fully updated section on psychometric scales used for measuring suicidal behaviour and instruments used in suicide preventative interventions. Part of the authoritative Oxford Textbooks in Psychiatry series, this second edition will continue to serve as the key reference source for both researchers and professionals working in the areas of suicidology and suicide prevention, including psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, public health specialists, and neuroscientists.