Women, Anger & Depression

I have been fighting depression for a few months now. I am in a great relationship and have a great job, great family, but for some reason I have hit a very low, very dark place. After spending weeks researching and trying to find answers without going to a therapist, I order this book. I read all of the comments and it seemed that it would be the best to start with. I have just received it and am already enthralled. I couldn't believe that so many of the stories sounded like me, that I could easily answer all the questions posed. I do think that I need help working through my issues, but rather than starting and feeling helpless, I feel like I have found a starting point and things to work on. Thank you Lois for writing such an easy to read book. I tried one on depression, just general depression and all the technical terms made me want to scream. This is written so everyone can understand it.

I'm a psych nurse, and this is a wonderful book that a great therapist I know always recommends to her patients. She makes them read it OUT LOUD - slowly. I respect her a whole lot, so when I was going through a painful divorce, and was about to lose it, I got the book. I read it in the bathroom OUT LOUD, SLOWLY while the water was running so no one would hear me. (I never get any time alone!) I think it really helped me a lot. Although I had never realized it, I had extreme feelings of powerlessness and anger that I carried over from childhood that this book helped me uncover and deal with. While some of the situations in the book didn't SEEM to apply to my situation, the FEELINGS and the ways that a woman has of dealing with them in our society did. It is not a thick book. If you buy it for yourself because you really NEED some help - seriously - try reading it OUT LOUD to yourself slowly. Also, make sure you do the exercises.

The best thing about this book, in my opinion, is that Dr. Frankel includes exercises along the way to get the readers to think about their depression and their anger, their causes, and how they can get in touch with their anger and express it appropriately. I generally agree with her premise--that women have been taught not to show their anger, to stuff their feelings, to accept the "glass ceiling," and all these stuffed emotions can lead to depression. But I think she fails to see the chemical component of depression. Why do some women deal with these issues and not get depressed, and some do? Still, medication alone doesn't "cure" depression, any more than therapy alone, and certainly giving women permission to express their anger will help them deal with their depression. After all, what is depression but anger turned inward?

I found this to be an excellent book. It was enlightening to realize that a woman CAN be angry and deal with that anger in a healthy manner. The title includes a sub-title of "Strategies For Self-Empowerment" -- Lois Frankel, Ph.D. helps us to "empower" ourselves effectively with this book.

This book was wonderful to read. The chapters are short enough for someone who is suffering from depression and has difficulty concentrating to stay focused. Lois Frankel speaks directly to the women in our society. The book is in part a workbook, making the experience of reading it more personal. This book gave me a lot to think about, helped me gain insight to problems I did not give credit to before, and gave me much to talk about in subsequent therapy sessions. Truly a two thumbs up! I recommend it to all women who are dealing with symptoms of depression.