THE ANTIDEPRESSANT FACT BOOK Paperback – 11 July 2001

Despite Dr Breggin's credentials, this text is ultimately a melodramatic and terribly simplistic presentation of what is otherwise a highly valid anti-psycho-pharmacological position. The premise of the book is a poignant one - that antidepressants and other psychoactive medications both exasperate mental suffering and afflict users with dangerous side effects to boot. However, the argument is poorly articulated. Breggin's prose often seems as if it is directed at an infantile audience. He is inadvertently patronising; he assumes that his readers have zero knowledge not only of psychiatric practice but of scientific method generally. He makes sweeping claims without providing any explicit justificatory evidence - even though lord knows there is plenty of it. Breggin advances in a horribly unacademic, anti-scholastic manner. Enormous points of argument are covered fleetingly in the space of mere paragraphs and then simply repeated in excess rather than expanded upon and developed. Overall, one leaves this read very disappointed; Breggin has a lot to offer - his psychiatric ideology, from the little I can gather, is inspiring - but his best mind is not to be found here. Maybe he's just not a good writer?

Fascinating read about what is really behind the world of anti-depressants. Very thought provoking for those who have been on these drugs for long time.

Breggin kämpft seit Jahrzehnten gegen die zunehmende Medikamentierung von Menschen in seelischer Not.Höchst wissenschaftrlich widerlegt er hier die zentralen Behauptungen der Pharmaindustrie und klärt über den enormen Schaden, den Psychopharmaka anrichten, auf.

I didn't know that there was any other way to cope with depression than medication. I am so glad to have found this book. It has helped me to seek other means to deal with my depression, and I am happy to say I am now drug free, and living a joy filled life.

slightly biased view, but gives the reader lots of good information that is normally over-looked. Dr. Peter Breggin is a well spoken individual