I have also found 'The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment' and 'The Bruised Reed' helpful.
I have also been encouraged by John Piper's short biographical messages. The are available to read or listen to here -
Biographies :: Desiring God Christian Resource Library. Piper goes into the weaknesses of these great men as much as their strengths, and it's very encouraging to see the grace of God in their lives. Many of them, like William Cowper, David Brainerd and John Bunyan, suffered from significant depression and discouragement. And most of them have had their greatest impact on the world not during their life, but through their writings after they died. We can never know how much God can use us, even as we are.
And, on a more practical note, it has helped me a lot to realize that mental health, like physical health, needs healthy habits and lifestyle to be at its best. We all *know* that we need to eat right, exercise regularly, and get a good night's sleep, but we often forget how much all these things affect our moods as well. Just getting strict about having the same bedtime and wake-up time every night made a huge difference for me, and it only took a few days for me to notice that. And exercise has been shown in some studies to be
better than antidepressants in improving depression symptoms. You don't have to join a gym, start by walking, outside in the sun around plants and trees if you can manage it. 15-30 minutes a day will do wonders.
There are a few other things more specific to mental health - get your focus off yourself. Go help somebody with something, anything. You don't have to devote your life to the poor. Help a friend move, give someone a ride whose car is in the shop, volunteer to clean up after a church function, pray for somebody. And television - there is a
very strong correlation between depression and how much TV someone watches. Try turning it off and going on that walk.
And, yes, even secular psychology/psychiatry notes that violating your value system can be a big factor in depression. In other words, as a Christian, is there sin in your life that you're allowing? Go to scripture, go to God, and try to find what you need to be changing, because, really, we all have sin in our life we need to be fighting (John Owen's The Mortification of Sin is great for this).
There is no question that I have a 'melancholy' disposition, and depression may always be in my life more often than not, but it has really helped me to see that is in a way like people who have chronic health issues, say like people with celiac disease or other food allergies. They
have to be strict about what they eat. Or people with known heart disease who really need to avoid food that most of us can enjoy in moderation. Or someone who needs physical therapy for a bad joint. Well, just like that I
have to be strict about my sleep habits and exercise and how much TV I watch, and I've recently found some diet changes that I need to be strict about as well.
And I absolutely
have to keep my focus on God's grace, on God's sovereignty and his goodness. I see scripture memorization as 'therapy.' I have keep God's truth in me at all times, like a medicine.
"Anxiety is a mild case of atheism" is one of my favorite quotes (Charles Simpson quoting his father). And I feel like a total geek quoting this, but somewhere in LoTR Gandalf talks about the 'arrogance of despair,' how even the wisest cannot know what's going to happen in the end. I think that's spot on. Only God really knows what's going to happen, and we can trust Him.
Sorry to go on so long
. Hope this helps.
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