Rating: 
Summary: Book helped save my life
Review: I'd seen this book before. I'd browsed through it back in 1991 and didn't find anything profound, but I wasn't seriously depressed at the time either. In June 2001 it was a different story. I'd been feeling suicidal since April. I was away from home on business and considered ending it all in a Minneapolis hotel room, but didn't want my wife have the hassle of shipping my body 1,000 miles back home. I forced myself to take a walk and saw "Feeling Good" in a nearby bookstore. "What the hell," I thought, "for less than $10 this is worth a try." Back in my hotel room I took the depression test and scored 64 - severe depression. I read much of the book that night, took the self-test again the next day and scored in the 40s. With a 20 point drop in less than 24 hours, I again had hope. I got home, got counseling, got medication. Although I was still depressed, it was less severe and I wasn't as suicidal. In July of 2001 I bought "Ten Days to Self Esteem" and went from a depression score of 25 to 17 in ten days of doing the written exercises everyday. It took about 9 months but with exercise, meds, counseling, support from friends and family, and the perspective offered by the events of that September 11, I started getting scores showing very little depression, much less anxiety and better relationships. Burns' approach has been an important part of that process for me.
Rating:
Summary: Try it before you judge it
Review: I've used cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) in my own life. I can say without qualifcation that it works wonders. Burns' other book "Intimate Connections" based on the same cognitive behavior techniques did wonders for my dating life. Sure, it didn't help me find the "ideal" person for me. No book could ever do that, and that's not a fair criticism. And to be honest, Burns never onced claimed that his books would help you find the "perfect" mate or indeed perfect anything for that matter. But CBT helped me to get out there in the dating arena, to not do the things that were self sabotaging and helped me to become more like the person I'd always dreamed of being both in dating and non dating scenarios. And lets face it: you first have to be able to GET dates before you ever stand a prayer of finding an ideal mate. To sit around moping that you won't do something until it's "perfect" or be with someone unless they're "perfect" is pretty unrealistic to put it mildly. But it's perhaps explained by what follows: Burns cites a study that showed how depressed people share a trait in common, although to a lesser degree, with the schizophrenic: Both groups tend to not see reality as realistically as the non-depressed and non-schizophrenic. So the point is, if you're depressed and your first impulse is to say that CBT is a bunch of rubbish before you've even given it a try then you may be a victim of those very distorted perceptions that depression causes. Thus you may be depriving yourself of the very thing that might help you. Consider this: For all you might gain, it seems a very small price to pay indeed: To risk less than eight dollars and possibly have your righteous indignation proven utterly false if you initially scoffed at CBT. To any reasonable person that sounds like NO risk at all.
Rating: 
Summary: I absolutely hate this book! No qualifications.
Review: I don't mean the author doesn't have any qualifications, of course. I mean I hate it, the book, irremediably. Yes, I think that's the word. Hey everybody! Did you know that your depression is caused by your negative thinking? Which comes from nowhere, according to Burns, it just lands on the top of your head (presumably from outer space. Darn ozone depletion!) and seeps its way through into your brain. Isn't it funny that 100 of us 'dumb' Americans attempt, and succeed at, suicide every day, just because our thoughts are distorted! Boy, it's a good thing we have Burns here to save us all. The back of the book plugs it as the Bible, really: it says 'The GOOD NEWS is that you can rid yourself of anxiety, guilt, etc...' I really believe that were I able, one day, to actually step through a mirror and visit a talking rabbit (Alice in Wonderland reference?) that the basic premise of this book would finally make sense (sited above). Until that time, however ... I KNOW I'm going to get razzed for writing such a scathing review. Go ahead, razz me all you want! Then, go and spend 8 bucks or so for your ticket to Wonderland. 'Twas brillig and the slithy toves/Did gyre and gimble in the wabe ...' (Jabberwocky). P.S. If you buy this book, The Clinically Proven DRUG-FREE Treatment for Depression, you'll be spending 1/4 of your money on Burns' (I simply CAN'T call him Dr. -- though I know he is. It makes me weep just to think of it.) ALL-NEW CONSUMER'S GUIDE TO ANTIDEPRESSANT DRUGS, the last chapter of the book (chapter 20, by FAR the LONGEST CHAPTER OF THE BOOK! No chapter even comes CLOSE to the size of this one. It's 170 pages!) Alice! Yoohoo! You're needed over here!
P.P.S. I know I said no qualifications, but I'm going to rather sheepishly add one. I gave this book 3 stars because it HAS been around for 30 or so years. And it IS a pioneering effort on (Dr.) Burns part to introduce cognitive therapy to the general public. I'm really blushing now, but I DID find (Dr.) Burns look into the cognitive distortions associated with depression to be valuable in understanding my depression, and, therefore, somewhat indirectly, in treating it. I will finish off by saying, though, that I simply do not (!) attribute my depression to these cognitive distortions. The latter are, for me, a symptom of the former. Cognitive therapy: I don't buy it, but it does have its good points, like everything else.
Rating:
Summary: It really works!
Review: I've tried talk therapy and antidepressants. The talk therapy was mildly helpful, but I still felt depressed after several months of once-weekly visits. I was also prescribed an antidepressant, which actually made me feel worse. I felt hyperactive and nervous in the beginning, and eventually ended up feeling like an emotionless zombie who needed to sleep 12 hours per day. As a last resort, I read Feeling Good and started doing the written exercises. The improvement was almost immediate! Unlike a lot of people, it didn't take me months to feel better. Probably within a week of applying the techniques from the book, my score on the BDI was reduced to 5, which means no depression! I still apply the techniques on a regular basis to keep myself depression free, but the chapters on changing your whole outlook on life and self esteem have made such a difference for me that I never get anywhere near as depressed as I used to, no matter what's going on in my life.
By using cognitive therapy instead of drugs, I have a whole range of emotions. But I'm able to control my emotions, and am overall a happy person. When I was using antidepressants, I sometimes didn't feel depressed, but I didn't feel good either--basically I had no emotions. I believe the drug companies would like us to believe that that drug-induced emotionless state is the way we're supposed to feel, but based on my experience, it's simply not worth it to have no negative (or positive) emotions. I'd rather experience the whole range of emotions and control them without the use of chemicals. Is depression an organic brain disorder? Perhaps for some, but surely not for as many people as the drug manufacturers would lead us to belive. That's my experience with this wonderful book.
Rating:
Summary: Best self-help book you can buy!
Review: This book was a Godsend for me. I had struggled with depression,
anxiety,inferiority feelings,etc. for 23 years before I read this book. I had previously read a little bit of it, but that didn't do much good. I intellectually understand the principles of cognitive psychology, but it wasn't until I read the entire book, and read it with an open mind, that I felt some relief. I've been to a lot of different psychiatrists,psychologists, etc. but nothing had ever done much for me. I've been on just about every Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI), such as Prozac,Paxil,Zoloft, and Luvox, plus other types of psychiatric meds, but nothing ever did much, and a lot of them caused serious side effects. It really helped me to read the introduction to the book. Why? Because Dr. Burns details all the scientific research that has been done that confirms the effectiveness of cognitive therapy, also known as cognitive behavioral therapy and rational-emotive behavior therapy. The essence of cognitive psychology is that the painful emotions we feel are the result of our thoughts and attitudes about the events in our life. It's not that life events don't have any effect on us, but they don't have to overwhelm us or cause us to feel miserable. Some people will say, "But what about the biochemical aspect of emotions?" Dr. Burns devotes over 200 pages to psychiatric medication; after all, he is a psychiatrist, and he does prescribe medication for some of his patients, but he never gives them medication alone. People who are treated only with medication are more likely to relapse if they go off their medication. This book was selected by mental health professionals as the number one self-help book, out of 1000 books. The followup to this book, The Feeling Good Handbook, was chosen as number two. It's very likely that this book can help you, although Dr. Burns emphasizes that the book is not a substitute for a consultation with a mental health expert. You may be able to handle your problems just by reading the book (and doing the exercises), but don't hesitate to see a psychiatrist or therapist if you need help.
Rating:
Summary: Best self-help book you can buy!
Review: This book was recommeded to me by a psychologist. I was skeptical, because I had already read some books on cognitive psychology, but I decided to give it a try. FINALLY, after suffering for 23 years, I had a breakthrough when I read this. It was important for me to read the introduction to the book, because Dr. Burns described in detail the scientific research validating the effectiveness of cognitive therapy. When I read how much it had helped people, even those who had been on many different psychiatric drugs and been to many therapists, I felt less skeptical and read the book with an open mind. I've been on so many meds that I can't remember all of them, and I've been to countless therapists, but nothing helped me as much as this wonderful book. Dr. Burns has a writing style that's very easy to read, and he explains cognitive theory better than anyone else I've read. And it's obvious that he really cares about people. Some critics will say that depression, anxiety,etc. have a biological component and should be treated with drugs, not just talk therapy. Dr. Burns devotes over two hundred pages to this question, so he covers all the bases. This is THE book to read for depression,anxiety,low self-esteem, anger, and guilt. I give it my highest recommendation!
Rating:
Summary: Don't judge this book by it's cover
Review: I'm so happy I got a hold of this book, because it really changed things in my life! And to be honest with you it's cover really didn't look to promising, nor did the title. Saying this book changed my life is no understatement. After approximately 15 years of mood swings and recurring depressions I have less ups and down than ever had before after reading this book, and I'm beginning to notice a change in my energy levels too. I also experience ALOT less anxiety.
Burns makes sense. Insight didn't help me at all. I needed someone to show me EXACTLY what to do. And it helped. (By the way I'm a psychology student and I checked up on the theory part..and I can't find a anything that seems to be incorrect about the data he's uses) So if youre suffering from a clinical or subclinical dystymia, anxiety, or simply mood swings that makes things sour for you I strongly recommend you to read this book.
Rating:
Summary: Very effective path to mental health
Review: Talk about a book that can change your life - this is it. A couple years ago I fought severe depression. My therapist suggested this book as an approachable guide to cognitive therapy. I immediately bought "Feeling Good", read it cover to cover and since then I have re-read certain chapters. Feeling Good defines the theory behind cognitive therapy and then offers specific guidelines to implement the concepts in your life. The second half of the book consists of chapters devoted to different approaches. For example, one chapter explains ways to recognize how we tear ourselves down and how to argue back against these destructive thoughts. Another chapter gives clear instructions how to measure your enjoyment of being alone vs. being with other people - the result is that many people will realize being alone does not have to be lonely. The examples and exercises do the best possible job of making your progress measurable. That's what really sets this book apart from others - it attempts and succeeds at making emotions measurable. You can actually chart your improvement. It's very clever how the author pulled this off. I define Cognitive Therapy as a method to reprogram our responses to the world. It worked wonders for me. It is so easy to fall into habits of behavior and reaction that we might not even know we are following a negative pattern. But if you practice the methods discussed in this book you'll identify some of your patterns and find ways to change them. At the same time I read this book I read several other self-help books that fell into self-help-Hell with over the top feel-good rhetoric that left me annoyed. So many self-help books seem to be written by Richard Simmons. But not this one - it is very straightforward, built upon solid research and experience and expressed clearly. This book stands well on its own and is also a helpful addition to counseling and drug therapy. Highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Worth It
Review: Dr Burns seems to have the god complex that most psychiatrists suffer from. He makes it sound like he is so gifted and intelligent, while the reader is simply stupid. If it wasn't for the writing style I might have found this book atleast interesting if not at all helpful. For some people prehaps his approach works but for sensitive, feeling individuals this book is a constant put down, telling you how your thinking is wrong and bad. The cover is also misleading, its obviously not drug free when the last third of the book is devoted entirely to explainations of drugs. I'm interested to know if anyone actually followed his suggestion of the wrist clicker, since depressed people already feel different enough they really don't need to walk around clicking away at their wrist to exaggerate the feeling. Overall, I'm very sorry I wasted my money on this book.
Rating:
Summary: A Life Changing Book.
Review: I was introduced to this book by my Cognitive Therapist, a founding member of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy. This book shows you how to change your way of thinking from negative (leading and/or contributing to depression and anxiety) to positive (leading to emotional health). It has changed ny life. Thank you, Dr. Sokol!
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