The Truth About Depression: Choices For Healing

The Truth About Depression: Choices for Healing

From the Inside Flap"A bold and unfettered view of depression today. Whitfield's clear observations and courageous approach make an exciting read. A must for understanding depression in our current clinical, cultural and political climate."J. Douglas Bremner, M.D., associate professor of psychiatry, Emory University School of Medicine author, Does Stress Damage the Brain?"It gives me great pleasure to endorse Charles Whitfields important and useful book, The Truth About Depression: Choices for Healing. Among his many important insights, Dr. Whitfield makes the important connection between childhood trauma and depression. Written for both a lay and clinical professional audience, this book will be of great value to readers because it clearly lays out the parameters of the various types of depressionas well as its treatment. It also documents the relationship between child abuse of all kinds and the later possibility of lifetime depression and other serious psychological illness. Although psychology and psychiatry have been addressing the reality of trauma in childhood as a major cause of mental illness, before Whitfields book this strong evidence was spread throughout the clinical and scientific literature. It has not been condensed in one volume until now. The Truth About Depression is an essential, clearly written explanation of one of the most common illnesses that strikes humankind."Paul Jay Fink, M.D., past president, American Psychiatric Association professor of psychiatry, Temple University School of Medicine"Important and useful. From his extensive experience with adult survivors of childhood trauma, Charles Whitfield, M.D., challenges conventional views about the cause and treatment of depression. Clear and well-documented, this book shows us that depression is usually best understood not as a mental illness, but rather as a normal response to abnormal life experiences (traumas), most of which go unrecognized because of their concealment by shame, social nicety and taboo. Integrating current developments in neurobiology, Dr. Whitfield helps us appreciate the important distinction between experiential cause and neurochemical mechanism in depression. Physicians, other clinicians, patients and families will find this a helpful book about the cause and treatment of depression. Highly recommended."Vincent J. Felitti, M.D., California Institutes of Preventive MedicineAlmost 40 percent of the U.S. population suffers from some form of depression or mental illness yet the causes of mental illness remain largely a mystery. The prevailing theory sees the cause as a trans-generational genetic defect of brain chemistry, which is best treated with medication.New breakthroughs made by health professionals dislodge this theory, and show that frequently previous traumas are what lead to mental illness.In this bold new book, renowned physician and psychotherapist Charles Whitfield takes a new look at the common problems of depression, anxiety, addictions, eating disorders, schizophrenia and other mental illness. The Truth About Depression shows the strong and at times causal relationship between childhood trauma and future depression and other mental illness; he explores the risks, side-effects and high cost of treating these disorders with anti-depressant drugs, and; provides an alternative treatment and recovery program for people with depression and a history of childhood trauma.Dr. Whitfield's book offers hope and help for those who have been held hostage by depression, and provides clinicians with new solutions and alternatives to high-risk medications.About the AuthorCharles L. Whitfield, M.D., is a physician and psychotherapist in private practice in Atlanta. He is a nationally known speaker and is the author of Memory and Abuse, Boundaries and Relationships, the best-selling Healing the Child Within and A Gift to Myself.Excerpt.