Customer Reviews

Depression, the Mood Disease (A Johns Hopkins Press Health Book)

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I have had several episodes of severe depression. Although I am a nurse and have the advantage of being around psychiatric healthcare providers, I had a hard time accepting that it was happening to me. This book really gave me insight and helped me to understand the disease. It is written so the non healthcare worker can understand it. The case scenarios brought the theoretical to life. I recommend this book to anyone who has depression or who is trying to decide if you do or if you have a significant other who has depression. The book also explains the medications which are used and why different ones are used at different times. It describes how important the psychiatric community is to helping you deal with this disease. Having someone who really understands depression and the medications will save you time in feeling better.

It was more than just a handout of conclusions that you have conjured. It was a self-help book for me. I believe I have found what is wrong with me that the doctors were unable to conclude. I was excited to see that there was something out there with clear and concise information. Sincerely, Raelene Lee

This is a great resource book. It is very useful for someone that is has just been diagnose with depression. It tells about every thing you need to about depression. Such as the treatments,causes,and a overview of depression. Mondimore wrote this book splendidly for people that dont understand the jargon of depression. I would highly recommend it for someone just diagnose with this terrible disease.

One in ten Americans suffer from depression, so today it's widely acknowledged and discussed: this updated coverage of an acclaimed survey includes over ten years of new research, from advances in medical treatments to changes in public perception and understanding of depression, and is key to any in-depth health collection seeking to provide the latest details. From its survey of the latest antidepressants to new approaches in psychology, Depression: The Mood Disease is a recommended pick for both public and college-level libraries.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Note: I bought this book to try to learn as much as possible about depression, and about the ECT's that my friend was about to receive.
I found the several points that the doctor had to make about depression, as well as the anecdotes he used to illustrate them, mystifying, to say the least. At one point he tells of a woman who is brought in to an emergency room in a psychotic state and he promptly prescribes a course of ECT's for her. It turns out the reason she was psychotic was because of side effect of the cancer medication she was on. Not only didn't Dr. Mondimore say "Whoops, I guess I blew that diagnosis", when he learned later that she was taking medication which caused the depression /psychosis she was suffering from (aren't doctors supposed to ask what medications your taking?), but actually patted himself on the back for making her feel more like her old self, for the last few months of her life. Way to go Doc!
Unfortunately, my friend's experience with her psychiatrists has been similar. Medication after medications, which haven't helped, only made her worse, and ECT's which were of no help either. But I digress.
Please check out the books by Peter Breggin, and Elliot S. Valenstein for valuable information you probably won't get from most doctors, and leave this book on Amazon's shelves.