SHOOT THE DAMN DOG by Sally Brampton
October 2013 Book Recommendation
Shoot the Damn Dog – A Memoir of Depression by Sally Brampton is an insightful and no holes barred account of being depressed. It is fair from light reading in parts, however, if you too suffer with depression and want to feel like you are not alone, or, if you have a loved one who suffers depression and you want to understand more about what it is like for them, then this book will help you.
In this book, Sally brings together the emotional and physical side effects of depression. She faces up to addiction, both alcoholic and emotional, as she expresses how her world changes when she becomes depressed, and how responsible she is for the impact this has on her relationships. If you have suffered with depression I can assure you that there will be moments in this book where you think “that was me!”.
Sally Brampton is a well published author and speaker about her own personal experiences with depression and she currently continues to write a column each month in Psychologies magazine.
I have one small caveat with this book, (and this is purely personal) is that, I tend not recommend this book to anyone who is on the downward slope into depression, nor to those at rock bottom. This book is a brutally honest account and so, in places, it runs the risk of dragging you down. This book is not a Disney fairytale happy ever after. However it is also a gripping and articulate read of real life depression.
I hope this book brings a new sense of understanding to your world.
Lydia x
Click here to buy your copy of Shoot the Damn Dog: A Memoir of Depression
Here’s the back of the book blurb:
“Shoot the Damn Dog blasts the stigma of depression as a character flaw and confronts the illness Winston Churchill called ‘the black dog’, a condition that humiliates, punishes ad isolates its sufferers. It is a personal account of a journey through (and out of) severe depression as well as being a practical book, suggesting ideas about what might help. With its raw, understated eloquence, it will speak volumes to anyone whose life has been haunted by depression, as well as offering support and understanding to those whose loved ones suffer from this terrifying condition.”