Rating: 
Summary: One of the best
Review: There are a gazillion self-help books out there on depression and their quality ranges from good to awful, helpful to obscure. This is a good, clear, helpful one.The book is full of really useful tips and exercises but the real benefit for me is that it delivers understanding of the social reasons behind the depression epidemic. No other book that I've come across (and I've read plenty of books on depression)does this. By seeing the mood disorder in its social, historical and familial context I can really understand that being depressed isn't my fault. Having read the book and done the exercises I have a much deeper understanding of why I am depressed. I also see clearly that I can overcome the problem. I see my relationships in a very different light and realize, for the first time, the destructiveness of some of them. I found the "needs process" invaluable in helping me form boundaries rather than barriers. The process even enabled me to have a better relationship with my boss! The only real pity is that the Uplift Program, on which the book is based, is only available in a few places, though it is backed by some august institutions. Thank goodness the originators of it wrote the book! I can thoroughly recommend "Creating Optimism" to anyone who suffers from anxiety or depression. It really is a book for everyone who has tried everything, as I have, and been disappointed. At last here is a program that works! My plea to Bob Murray and Alicia Fortinberry is simple: for heaven's sake bring the Uplift Program to New Jersey!
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