The Antidepressant Era

Rating:
Summary: Should be required reading for all psychiatrists
Review: A fascinating historical account of the development of antidepressants. By telling us the facts, it illuminates the degree to which the field of psychiatry has been overrun by pharmaceutical corporate brainwashing. This book could serve as an anti - indoctrination of sorts, to combat the world of neurobabble. It would be an especially important read for psychiatrists, psychologists and all others who are actually involved in treating people with mental health problems. If your intellectual curiosity has not yet dissipated in these biological times, this book is for you.

Rating:
Summary: ignorance may be bliss but it does not solve the problem
Review: Being a researcher of SSRIs and depression from a psychologiacl standpoint I was impressed by the line took by Healy- my own research is begining to show that even when people take SSRIs their self-esteem (which is formed by childhood and environment) is not affected or changed. I agree with Healy that we should take far more account of the fundamnetal social implications of depression within society and treat this as well as the individual- doing this is a far more efective way of tackling depression. However this may not be the case for the drug companies.

Rating:
Summary: Packed with information, but difficult to read
Review: David Healy obviously knows a lot about antidepressants (and about psychopharmacology in general). However, he apparently doesn't know a lot about using clear, straightforward, unpretentious language.

This book badly needs an editor. Healy's writing is far more difficult and opaque than it needs to be.

Nevertheless, I'm giving the book four stars because of the excellent content.

Rating:
Summary: Review of the Antidepressant Era by David Healy
Review: Having worked for so long with the less desirable effects of mind altering medication it is extremely useful to read a book which so clearly presents, alongside much of the history of medicine and through to the present day day and the Prozac era. David Healy presents many views very similiar to my own with great great clarity and honesty. Indeed, this a book I would love to have written if I had his knowledge and word power. David Healy depth of research is awe inspiring and he has the ability to put an idea in such a way that is capivates much of the reader. The whole concept of marketing depression as a disease and then designing drugs to fit is one that few on us have considered. The idea of the designed drug rather than the discovered drug is also an useful comparsion. This book is certainly different in its approach and intregity and the knowledge it contains is very needed. I hope it is widely read.