Treating Chronic Depression: Psychotherapy and Medication Annotated Edition

Treatment of Chronic Depression, by Dr. Daniel Badal, is an eminently readable text that provides an unusual view into work with depressed patients over a protracted period of time. It is rare that a practitioner, let alone one with Dr. Badal”s sensitivity and insight, has access to long-term, continuous work with such patients. From his experiences we learn of the variability of this disorder and the thoughtful attention and skill that is required to most effectively assist depressed patients throughout the course of what is often a lifelong illness. — Thomas F. Barrett, Ph.D., clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst

Depression was once considered an intermittent condition in which the vast majority of patients responded relatively quickly and completely, and which, untreated, was associated with a high rate of spontaneous and complete recovery. Over the past 20 years, systematic research observations of people suffering from depression in naturalistic settings and the results of controlled clinical trials have led to the realization that depression is most often a chronic unremitting condition that all too frequently only partially responds to treatment, even in the face of the impressive array of new and effective medications available today. Treating Chronic Depression is a practical, comprehensive, and clinically focused review of the conceptualization and treatment of chronic depression. Badal incorporates firsthand clinical observations and case vignettes into a thorough review of the published literature on chronic depression. His keen insights on the important factors contributing to chronicity reflect several decades of clinical experience and an impressive understanding of both the psychological and neurobiological factors underlying depression. This book is a must-read for clinicians interested in the treatment of depression. — Pedro L. Delgado, M.D., University Hospitals of Cleveland Case Western Reserve