A Comprehensive Guide to Depressive Illness (AKA 'Depression')
Written by a long-time participant in depressive illness who has investigated in depth both people's experiences of depression and scientific knowledge and understanding, focussing on:
- the nature of depressive illness
- the centrality of brain function
- the crucial role of the unconscious
- the causes of depressive illness and
- the effectiveness of treatments.
Depressive Brains is unique as a comprehensive guide providing insight into all these elements of depressive illness, for anyone who wants to know more about this very real and brutal affliction, as a whole.
“Get[s] across the experience of depression beautifully, not just from [his] own experience but from what others have described…provides an easy to read description of what it is like to experience depression alongside an update of our current best understanding of it… [I]t needs to be read by thousands of people!” Dr Michael Phelan, Consultant psychiatrist and Medical Director, the Priory, Roehampton
“It’s terrific! I was impressed by your presentation of what we know about the brain, depressive illness, and causes and treatment. I especially liked your powerful story and the book’s tone, readability, wisdom and humour” Robert Plomin, Professor in the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College, London
“Though I have lived with depression, and done a lot of research into depression, I learned a great deal from reading Mark’s book. He writes clearly and vividly and both his own experience, and his deep analysis of the experience and thinking of others, make his voice a great addition to the fight for better understanding of depression and mental health more generally” Alastair Campbell, mental health campaigner and former 'Mind Champion of the Year', Prime Minister Tony Blair’s Official Spokesperson and many other things
“…well-researched, compelling and useful…” Mark Rice-Oxley, author of Underneath the Lemon Tree, Guardian editor and founder of the Headstrong substack
Sample Pages
As a comprehensive guide, Depressive Brains covers a wide range of topics and types of content. For the sample pages I have chosen an extract from the beginning of the chapter What is Depressive Illness - is it anything real?
About the Author
Mark Lawry has participated in depressive illness for most of his life. Only after nearly 20 years did a particularly brutal episode finally compel him to do the wise and sensible thing and seek help.
Sufferers from depressive illness, from a full range of cultures, over thousands of years, have described a remarkably similar and consistent experience, such that there can be no doubt that it is a real thing. At the same time, the nature of each individual's experience of depressive illness varies and is unique. It is vital that people feel able to be open and frank about their experiences of depressive illness. Mark shares his experience, alongside the experiences of others who have written about their depressive illness.
Up until depressive illness' decisive intervention, Mark worked for 11 years as a lawyer in the city of London, specialising in intellectual property (copyright, patents, trade marks and the like). Prior to seeking help Mark was terrified that his intermittent inability to cope would be found out causing his career and life to collapse catastrophically.
The help Mark received genuinely and profoundly helped with insight and understanding of the affliction and of himself. It would lead to the life-changing realisation that he would be much better off not being a lawyer. He was helped in this decision by the view that mankind as a whole could only be better off with one fewer lawyer. Mark switched to being stay-at-home-dad, which gave him purpose and fulfilment and was much preferable for his mental health.
Mark wanted to understand everything that he could about his affliction. He searched for a book that would provide this comprehensive knowledge but couldn't find it. He began researching and read over 160 books. Depressive Brains shares all that he learned with anyone who wants, or feels entitled, to know all that is known about depressive illness.
Mark was born and grew up in Southampton and is a committed supporter of Southampton FC. Whether this might be a cause in any way of his depressive illness remains unproven.
Podcast
In May 2025 I appeared on an episode of an excellent pocast called Mid-Life Men, sharing some of my experience of depressive illness.
10
Years of research and writing
160+
Books studied as research
35+
Years of participation in depressive illness
Any thoughts or comments?
I would love to hear from you
It would be great to receive any thoughts, comments, opinions, disagreements, experiences or anything else on the topic of depressive brains and depressive illness, whether or not you have read my book. I promise a personal reply. If you have read Depressive Brains, then I should be especially grateful if you would point out any errors.
Alternatively, please e-mail mark@depressivebrains.com
