How to Write Depression Self-Help Books

Depression self-help books tackle a difficult subject, but they are great resources for people who are coping with rough periods of their lives. There are many ways to approach this subject, but you should include a few main points when you write your guides.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Define the different types of depression. Your audience may have seasonal, situational or biological causes for their conditions. Help them evaluate the current events in their lives to figure out which kind they're going through.

2. Suggest various lifestyle changes that can help people cope with this mental condition. For example, show how to lead a more active lifestyle to stimulate the production of endorphins in the body. List a variety of simple exercises, because your readers will have different levels of fitness.

3. Include a section on cognitive behavioral therapy. There are easy ways to change the way a person thinks to help cope with depression, but you need to explain them clearly so that they can be done without the aid of a professional therapist.

4. Help the reader create a list of supportive activities. These ideas can range from talking to a friend and keeping a journal to taking a warm bath and enrolling in outreach activities. List how much time should be dedicated to each activity to help maximize time management.

5. Provide additional resources for the readers of your self-help books. Some types of depression may require medication, so teach your audience how to find a good therapist and list options for financing sessions. Include other natural ways to treat depression, like vitamin supplements during the winter months and different homeopathic medications.

6. Provide a list of regional and national centers and phone numbers that the reader can call in the event of an emergency. Also include a list of other self-help books or resources that explain your topics in depth or from another perspective. Check your resources to be sure that you aren't redirecting your readers to your publisher's competition.

Tips & Warnings

• To help your book find a market, you may want to write about only one or two types of self-help, like stress management or cognitive behavioral therapy.
• Publication options vary depending on your writing history, but be sure to look into online publication if you are having trouble finding someone to release the books in hard-copy form.
• Always write a legal disclaimer if you're going to be suggesting the use of medications and supplements. Include possible side-effects and allergic reactions wherever they're applicable.