How can depression be overcome? And how can someone suffering from depression recover a sense of well-being, self-esteem and joy? How can chronic fatigue be vanquished? During the past few years, both the diagnosis and treatment of depression have greatly evolved, and even if depression remains a complex illness, effective treatment is now available. The advice given in this book depends on the active participation of victims of depression. It is by learning to know themselves, by understanding what is happening to them, and by becoming less vulnerable that they will overcome their depression. To help them do so, the author offers a complete programme of self-therapy in ten steps:
1. What is depression?
2. Am I depressed?
3. Each depression is different.
4. What triggered my depression?
5. How has my depression evolved?
6. Depression in daily life.
7. I will stop denying my depression and accept treatment.
8. I will take my medication and participate actively in my treatment.
9. I want to undergo psychotherapy.
10. I will work on changing my relationship with the outside world.

Christine Mirabel-Sarron is a psychiatrist and physician at Hôpital Sainte-Anne, Paris. She heads the behavioural and cognitive unit in Professor Guelfi’s medical service. She is a doctor in pathological and clinical psychology and teaches at the Universities of Paris-V and VIII.