River of Time

This was a very raw and brave story from Naomi Judd in response to her experience with treatment resistant anxiety and depression. This is a great story for anyone who suffers from anxiety and depression to read or even to help understand someone who does. Judd offers insight into her darkest times and what she did to overcome suicidal thoughts and deal with the daily struggle of simply surviving. She also shared the toll this journey took on her family and how she is working to make it better. As someone who suffers from terrible anxiety this story was one of hope and encouragement and support.

What a wonderful insight into the life of Naomi Judd. Her struggle off stage is incredible when, as a fan, I have always enjoyed her enthusiasm on stage. She is an inspiration.

I was thrilled to be selected to review this book. I am a fan of
The Judd's but I also have suffered depression and panic disorder for the last 30 years. I was amazed at how many things Naomi and I have in common. I was raised in a household where love wasn't demonstrated and things were always swept under the rug. I was so glad to see her honestly discuss the things in her life and why she thinks she fell into such a dark place. The main message is yes she struggles but she also overcomes. This is a great book if you are or have suffered but also maybe better yet a place where the people in your life might find what your going through and how they can help. This is a must read!!!!

What’s it About? To many, Naomi Judd is a superstar, one half of the country duo The Judds but River of Time isn’t about her life as a celebrity. It is more of a documentary about her life with treatment resistant depression and anxiety and Ms. Judd doesn’t hold back at all.


River of Time painted a raw, honest picture of one woman’s struggle with depression and anxiety that I found completely relatable. I too suffer from depression, I was diagnosed with it at 14 and now at 32 am still struggling to cope, and find a treatment that works for me. I didn’t pick up this book because I was searching for an answer to my depression but rather to remember that I am not alone in dealing with depression. Naomi Judd knows what it feels like, she can describe the symptoms in vivid detail, and she was candid about how certain treatments affected her and in fact made things worse for her. Ms. Judd didn’t shy away from discussing her early traumas and abuse and how they shaped her as a person throughout her life.


What I found interesting was that Naomi has kept herself well informed about depression over the years. Not just from her personal experience but by reading the latest medical facts, yes I know she was an RN before her musical career took off but her dedication to learning as much as she can about depression is nothing short of admirable. The irony here is that while Ms. Judd is part of the medical community, that same community is painted in an unflattering light due to the way it handles the treatment of mental illnesses.


I felt like Ms. Judd truly wants to understand as much as she can about a mental illness that effects many people and carries a stigma that often keeps people from seeking help. Ms. Judd encourages people to seek help but also to not limit themselves to only “traditional” treatments. Sometimes it takes more than one treatment, sometimes a person has to keep trying different ones before they find one that works and that’s okay. Everyone’s depression is NOT the same as evidenced by her own treatment resistant depression. By the end of River of Time I felt like I had a champion in Naomi Judd, it sounds silly but depression can be very isolating and to know of someone who understands how you feel because they feel it too is a relief. It’s not a perfect book by far, there is an element of drama to it that I didn’t care for, but for the most part it was an eye opener.


Click It or Skip It? Click It. For me the raw honesty of Naomi Judd’s struggles in River of Time served as a reminder that depression isn’t something that can be treated with the same method, nor is it an illness that discriminates. I felt a little more hopeful that I too could fight and find a way to live a happy life.

A very moving and honest view on one of country music's greatest legends.

A mesmerizing read about one of country's best artists. Loved the personal and honest feel of this book.

Very interesting memoir of her terrible depression. Kudos to her that she came out, so other people can understand and empathize with this terrible problem. Hopefully she has turned the corner forever.