Depression Fallout – Anne Sheffield
When someone suffers from depression, the illness affects not only the person who is ill but also the people closest to them. Partners in particular may find themselves feeling confused, rejected, angry, exhausted and helpless as the person they love withdraws, becomes irritable or seems to change completely. Anne Sheffield, a writer who experienced this situation herself and who had written about depression in her own family, calls this experience depression fallout. In Depression Fallout: The Impact of Depression on Couples and What You Can Do to Preserve the Bond, she offers guidance for partners.
Sheffield draws on interviews with many people who live with a depressed partner, as well as on research and the advice of mental health professionals. She describes the stages that partners commonly go through, from confusion and attempts to help, through frustration, anger and resentment, to feelings of isolation and despair. She explains that these reactions are normal and that recognizing them is the first step toward coping.
The book offers practical advice on understanding depression and its symptoms, encouraging a reluctant partner to seek treatment, communicating in ways that reduce conflict, setting limits and protecting one’s own well-being, and deciding how to handle the relationship when depression continues for a long time. Sheffield emphasizes that partners cannot cure depression themselves, but that they can support treatment while caring for their own needs.
Compassionate, honest and practical, Depression Fallout will help partners, family members and friends of people with depression feel less alone. It is not a substitute for professional help, and anyone concerned about a loved one’s safety should contact a health professional promptly.
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