Prozac and the New Antidepressants (Revised Edition): What You Need Know abt Prozac Zoloft Paxil Luvox Wellbutrin Effexor Serzone Vest (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Before discussing the new antidepressants in detail, it is important to understand exactly what depression is and how it is diagnosed..." (more)
Key Phrases: other new antidepressants, older antidepressants, sexual side effects, Eli Lilly, American Psychiatric Association (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

When the original edition of Prozac and the New Antidepressants was published just three years ago, more than eleven million people were taking Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, and the other "new antidepressants"-amid a swirling national debate about their effectiveness, their dangers, and their societal implications. Today the number is estimated to have almost doubled, and the number of new drugs being used to treat depression has also increased significantly. But what do most of these people really know about these so-called miracle drugs? In this practical and user-friendly guide, Harvard Medical School professor William Appleton answers all the important basic questions, including:

How do I know if I need to take an antidepressant?

What are the various side effects?

Which antidepressant is right for me?

How will it affect my personality?

What can I do if none of the drugs can help me?

This completely revised and updated edition examines current trends in the ongoing debate about antidepressants, including a discussion of the herbal remedy St. John's Wort and up-to-the-minute information on all the latest medications being used to treat depression.

About the Author

William Appleton, M.D., is a psychiatrist who teaches at Harvard Medical School and has an active private practice. He is the author of several books and for nine years his column, "Analyst's Couch," ran in Cosmopolitan. He lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Plume (January 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0452281644
• ISBN-13: 978-0452281646
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #976,906 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Especially valuable., November 12, 2000

By	Samuel Chell (Kenosha,, WI United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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This "little" book (it can be read in a few hours yet consulted as a comprehensive reference tool) is the one own if you must limit yourself to one (and given the abundance of material in print and on-line, it may be wise to have just one reliable resource). It provides user-friendly yet responsible information about all of the SSRI's (Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil) as well as the drugs that preceded them (tricyclics, benzodiazapines) and the more recent antidepressants (Effexor, Remeron, Celexa). Appleton looks at many promising drugs awaiting approval as well as the vast number of touted herbal remedies. The author has no agenda. He provides balanced information about the percentage of consumers who are likely to be helped and to what degree. He also suggests 2 and 3-step drug programs for individuals who are "treatment-resistant." Best of all, the author combines appreciation for the medical efficacy of certain drugs with healthy skepticism and an experienced professional's common-sense.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Senior Fellow, January 6, 2000

By	Gail Pressberg (United States) - See all my reviews

As a support person for a clinically depressed person, this book provides a wealth of up-to-date information that assists in guiding the reader through the maze, and often complicated world, of psychopharmacology. What makes this book so useful is Dr. Appleton's combination of the review of research with his own clinical judgment. In addition, the book is one of the few that I have found that reviews psychopharmacological drugs with options for other treatments if drugs (which don't help apporximately twenty percent of patients who take them) don't work. The book is easy to read with both technical information and "translations" for the lay person.

32 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended., August 4, 2000

By A Customer

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This is the most reader-friendly, reliable, balanced overview of the field of pyschoactive drugs that I've been able to lay my hands on. Having been overwhelmed by the technical and profuse language of the PDR and Merck Manuals, and having been misled by the many popular books that tout Prozac and its many descendents as surefire "happy" pills, it's refreshing and reassuring to find a book this clear and discriminating. Use it as a reference book as well as an introductory text to the entire field (it can be read in several hours). Those who require the "placebo" effect of an unqualified endorsement of these drugs may wish to avoid the book. On the other hand, those who have discovered that Prozac is not necessarily any more effective than tryciclics or who have experienced negative reactions from an SSRI, will certainly appreciate this author's warnings and disclaimers along with the encouraging but candid claims about how much a drug might actually contribute to well-being. Let the drug companies provide the hype; Appleton simply provides clear and accurate information (his is one of the few books, for example, to point out the dangers of combining Ultram with an antidepressant).