50 Things To Do Before Seeing a Psychiatrist: And How To Actually Do Them

You know, sometimes the exact right thing comes into your life at exactly the right time and this book is just one of those things.I can't imagine anyone's life *not* being improved by taking just some of the steps suggested in this book.The author's openness about his own life and his own struggles is very comforting and encouraging...he's been there and he's not afraid to admit his life isn't impossibly perfect, so he doesn't come across as preachy or self-righteous. He's with you, he is you and he genuinely wants to help.It's also impressive that this book isn't so clinical that it's just plain boring. He shares enough of himself to make for compelling reading, which is rare in a book of this kind...reading it doesn't feel like a chore.What I love is that this book does something few other self-help books do: it gives you concrete, doable steps YOU can take every day, on your own. All roads in this book do NOT lead straight to therapy and medication. The whole goal is to explore other options FIRST.Sometimes you read a book and you think "yeah, that's totally me, but now what do I do about it?" Joe Baldizzone fills in those blanks with actions that may seem deceptively simple at first glance, but prove to be very powerful in practice.I've actually had extraordinarily bad experiences with therapists over the years and I'm really not too keen on trying therapy again, so this book is amazing for me. I can go at my own pace and not drag myself through the often useless, sometimes painful and occasionally damaging process of in-person therapy.This book is so useful, I've already picked up 4 copies for friends and family. (While writing this review, I just thought of a couple more people I'd like to share it with, so I'll probably order a few more copies!)I can't recommend it enough. Thank you so much for writing this book, Joe!

As a librarian, I'm always searching for inspirational, thought provoking and powerful reads, especially for the self-help section. I am also an avid Amazon shopper, so while searching for new books, I came across 50 Things to do Before Seeing a Psychiatrist. After reading several positive reviews and reading about the book, I decided to give it a shot. What I love most about it is the author speaks from personal experience. Mr. Baldizzone offers his own past experiences so that you may relate to and learn from them and hopefully, resolve your own issues in a healthier and more efficient manner. He suffered from anxiety, depression, agoraphobia and addiction and was able to overcome his issues holistically rather than resorting to more drugs to just self medicate. He not only offers coping mechanisms, but then instructs you on how to actually accomplish that goal. Of course, you're probably not going to need all 50 methods, but many are definitely worth a try and all are very manageable and feasible. As long as you're ready to accept help or know someone in a similar predicament, then I would highly recommend this book. If for nothing else, then simply as a starter guide.

I love this book. This author is very positive and down to earth. He has struggled with depression, knows how it feels, and has used all of these methods himself. I have tried prescription drugs many times through the years to deal with depression and anxiety, and I have never been able to tolerate the side effects long enough to get any benefit from the drugs. Even if the methods in this book don't work for you, they won't do you any harm or cause negative side effects. These are all practical things that you can do on your own in real life, like exercise, meditate, journal, etc., that don't cost a fortune or take up so much of your time that they become a full time job. (Some of the activities, like exercise or improving your diet, would be good things to do with a spouse or good friend.) Many of the methods he suggests, like changing your diet or exercise habits, will improve other parts of your life as well. If you are battling low-grade depression and are still able to function, I would recommend this book---there is nothing here that will harm you and you have nothing to lose.

I highly recommend reading this book before seeing a psychiatrist. Joe knows first-hand what it's like to live with suicidal depression and how to recover from debilitating panic, as well as addiction. This book offers many simple strategies to help you get started on your own path to recovery. Try these simple strategies first. Medications and psychiatrists might not be necessary for your survival.

Was hoping for some ideas for a friend. Advice was silly & unhelpful. Returned it.

Helpful book