A good self-help book is a good friend

In the course of averting a relapse over the last week, I did something that surprised me. I reached for two books I haven't looked at for a long time. The first was The Feeling Good Handbook by Dr David Burns, one of my personal heroes. There are things that he says that I don't agree with, but in general I find his advice incredibly useful. I certainly think I wouldn't still be here without his gentle and wise counsel, via the pages of his books. One of the things I love about David Burns is his honesty. He is not scared to talk about the times he felt scared, or acted silly, and that always makes me feel better about my own human foibles. Another is his compassion. He truly cares about people who suffer from the painful illness of depression, and this is as healing as any technique he writes about.

I didn't read much of the book, just dipped into it here and there to refresh my memory. What I don't agree with is his view that cognitive behavioural therapy is enough to cure depression. This might be true in cases of mild depression, but for me it has not been enough. I've found it incredibly helpful, but not sufficient on its own to lift the grey clouds completely and let the sun shine through. But in my current situation, I know that the problem is more the view I'm taking of my circumstances than the circumstances themselves. So cognitive techniques are very relevant here, as they help me to think about the aversive aspects of my life in a way that isn't emotionally overwhelming. I've done so much cognitive work over the past...gosh, almost thirty years, that just a brief refresher was enough to put me back on course. That and a trip to the seaside over the weekend, to spend time with friends and family.

The other book is The Art of Living by the Dalai Lama, another book that is gentle, compassionate and healing, as well as containing great practical advice. But I'll save that for another post.