Shadows in the Mirror

Depression is not sadness, weakness, failed faith, black magic or a white man disease. It can just about happen to anyone, and can also be overcome. Don't suffer in silence. Take action now!

The World Health Organization estimates that depression will be the second leading cause of death and disability by 2020. Yet several remain ignorant of the illness and many suffer with limited access to mental health resources.

As Dr.Vivian O. Ikem discovered, depression isolates and ostracizes those it strikes. Social, cultural, and religious attitudes toward mental illness also make it difficult for people to seek the help they need, leaving many considering suicide as a final, tragic option.

Shadows in the mirror: The many faces of depression offers a one-stop resource to those wanting to understand depression and seek the help they need for recovery. Beginning with Vivian's own honest account of her encounter with depression, the book provides information on types, causes, prevention and treatment of this devastating illness.

A Christian and woman of African descent, Vivian sees the need to address depression from cultural and religious standpoints. She challenges world religions to rethink common attitudes toward depression, offering socially inclusive attitudes that communities can develop to help those suffering from the disease.

This book joins works such as Joanna Swinney's Dark Woods: A Young Woman's Journey out of Depression as an insightful examination into one of the world's most debilitating diseases-while offering readers hope for recovery.