Journeys with the Black Dog - Tessa Wigney, Kerrie Eyers, Gordon Parker (eds) Allen & Unwin Academic, 2008, $16.95 pb, 300 pp., ISBN 978-1-741752-64-9

Journeys with the Black Dog is a Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission award-winning book from the Black Dog Institute in Australia, a centre dedicated to improving knowledge and treatment of mood disorders. Although aimed mainly at patients and carers, it is also relevant to healthcare workers. The book is a collection of excerpts from an essay competition where patients and carers were asked to describe their personal experience of depression or the ‘Black Dog’. In total, there were 634 entries with an age range from 14 to 70 years old.

The excerpts are arranged in chapters which deal with depression stage by stage, from the onset then through the dark days and on to recovery and learning to live with the Black Dog. The stories are very articulate and at times humorous but they are often harrowing to read. The layout of the book works well, enabling readers to pick and choose chapters without having to read them in sequence. The layout also allows comparison between individual descriptions often showing similar thought patterns. However, the layout also means that it is impossible to read an author's story from beginning to end. I found excerpts became quite repetitive and were repeated in several chapters.

The isolation and desperation associated with depression were well portrayed in a way that ‘outsiders’ could understand. The chapter on carers’ and families’ views was well written and showed patients how the depression affects their family and friends, while giving carers helpful advice on how to cope. There is no suggestion of a miracle cure and the general message is that it may need several approaches to treatment to find one that suits an individual, but there is something out there for everyone.

Overall, this book is not a light read but a good book for those wishing to gain a true understanding of depression, so is well worth reading. Having said that, I wouldn't recommend it to someone who currently has acute depression as it could potentially exacerbate their symptoms. For those who are more stable, this book offers hope in a balanced way with the message that while depression cannot be cured it can be managed in a variety of ways and that no matter how bad things are ‘it will pass’.