Shoot the Damn Dog: A Memoir of Depression

Shoot the Damn Dog: A Memoir of Depression by Sally Brampton

Brampton is a successful journalist in the UK--she launched Elle Magazine in the 80s and currently writes for The Sunday Times. She lives in a lovely flat in London with a garden. She has been married twice (happily at that, both times) and has a daughter. She has many, many friends. She also suffers from severe depression. The "damn dog" is that depression that debilitates her for a long period in her 40s and this is the story of how she fought back. It is not funny. It's bold and courageous and important. Very, very important. The way she describes her moods is simply phenomenol. Brampton wrote, "What matters is to feel that we are not alone." Anyone who has ever been hit with severe depression will feel comfort in knowing they are not the only one to feel the way they do. And anyone who has ever wondered what loved ones go through when battling depression will receive a no-nonsense, realistic account of the illness. Brampton affirms many times that she wants to break down the shameful barriers of mental illness. She likens depression to cancer in that it's a life-threatening illness that needs to be treated.

Brampton deserves an award for this memoir.