Our series is at the Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch. It's held in the Alice MacKay Room beneath the concourse.
The first talk in the series is Out of the Blue: The Nature and Treatment of Major Depression.
Here's the blurb:
Think you don’t know anyone with depression? You are almost certainly wrong.
Forget bird flu. Clinical depression is the real epidemic in Canadian society. Within 5 years it will be the leading cause of long-term disability claims (several indications suggest that it already is). A recent study indicates that 20% of BC women have been prescribed antidepressants.
But what is depression, exactly? Is it overdiagnosed? How is it treated, and are these treatments effective?
At this talk you’ll learn about:
- The signs and symptoms of depression.
- How clinicians distinguish true depression from the everyday blues.
- Overdiagnosis and overtreatment.
- Risk factors for depression.
- The controversy about “biochemical imbalances.”
- Problems with a medication-only approach.
- Evidence-based nonpharmacological strategies.
- Self-directed coping strategies, including free resources available from the web.
We’ll try to cut through the myths about depression and see the reality.
Like all PsychologySalon talks, this presentation is for everyone: those with depression, those treating it, policy makers, business leaders, and the general public. Whether you have clinical depression or not, depression touches your life.
Many thanks to the Vancouver Public Library for cosponsoring the Psychology Salon series in 2013!
Upcoming Talks
All talks start at 7 pm and are held in the Alice MacKay Room of the Main Downtown Branch of the Library (below concourse level).
Tuesday May 28 - Superhero Psychology 101: Understanding the Appeal. With Dr Lindsey Thomas. Our culture seems obsessed with superheroes - certainly in the movies and popular culture. What needs are served by these characters in fiction? Is it a longing for lost gods, an externalization of our narcissistic desire for power, a reaction against the drabness of modern life, or just a desire to see special effects on screen?
Tuesday September 24 - The Vision Project: Setting - and Reaching - Your Life Goals. With Dr Randy Paterson. What do you want, really? What would you be doing if you took your life seriously?
Life is like a sailing trip. You want to enjoy the ride, but every now and then you have to look at the map and put your hand on the tiller. This PsychologySalon evening covers the strategy, the concepts, and the traps along the way.
Tuesday November 26 - How to be Miserable: 12 Brilliantly Effective Strategies. With Dr Randy Paterson. What if we stopped trying to feel happier, and instead tried to feel WORSE? We might discover that we are already experts at this dubious skill. This presentation uncovers widely-held cultural beliefs, values, and habits that promote misery. With tongue only partly in cheek, we'll point out the signposts to despair (which, if disobeyed, might lead to a sunnier destination).
Mark your calendar! Hope you can make it.
Hi! I just wanted to say I enjoyed the "Superhero Phsycology 101" talk by Dr. Thomas at the library yesterday. Very insightful. Exploring the practical to the abstract, it was interesting how superheroes reflect back to us how we see ourselves and/or would like to be seen and what that says. Thank you.
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