The Antidepressant Survival Guide: The Clinically Proven Program to Enhance the Benefits and Beat the Side Effects of Your Medication (Paperback)

~ (Author) "MY ANTIDEPRESSANT SURVIVAL PROGRAM began to take shape in 1983, when I became frustrated by the failure of antidepressants and cognitive therapy to alleviate fully..." (more)
Key Phrases: balanced nutrition plan, vegetarian plan, food elimination diet, Antidepressant Survival Program, Medical Prescription, The Antidepressant Survival Guide (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

"Now patients can have the best of both worlds -- freedom from depression and freedom from side effects. Dr. Robert Hedaya offers a wealth of wisdom drawn from years of clinical experience, research, and teaching. This book is a much-needed lantern in the darkness."
-- Norman Rosenthal, M.D., author of St. John's Wort: The Herbal Way to Feeling Good

* Restore the vital vitamins, minerals, and hormones necessary to maintain good health.
* Optimize your body's metabolic system.
* Restore your ability to experience pleasure in life.

An estimated twenty-five million Americans take antidepressants to combat depression, but most continue to cope with a host of debilitating side effects that equal, and sometimes outweigh, the medication's obvious benefits. Many doctors consider side effects such as weight gain, lethargy, and sexual dysfunction to be necessary evils. Finally, there is a doctor who refuses to trade a patient's total well-being for the treatment of depression.

Clinical psychiatrist Robert J. Hedaya, M.D., has developed a comprehensive mind-body program to restore lost vitality and sex drive and control weight. A Washington Post bestseller in hardcover, his book offers a proven program of nutrition, exercise, stress reduction, and hormone supplementation that not only lessens the side effects of antidepressants but enhances their benefits as well. Now everyone can benefit from the prescription that has worked wonders for his own patients.

From the Inside Flap

"Now patients can have the best of both worlds -- freedom from depression and freedom from side effects. Dr. Robert Hedaya offers a wealth of wisdom drawn from years of clinical experience, research, and teaching. This book is a much-needed lantern in the darkness."
-- Norman Rosenthal, M.D., author of St. John's Wort: The Herbal Way to Feeling Good

* Restore the vital vitamins, minerals, and hormones necessary to maintain good health.
* Optimize your body's metabolic system.
* Restore your ability to experience pleasure in life.

An estimated twenty-five million Americans take antidepressants to combat depression, but most continue to cope with a host of debilitating side effects that equal, and sometimes outweigh, the medication's obvious benefits. Many doctors consider side effects such as weight gain, lethargy, and sexual dysfunction to be necessary evils. Finally, there is a doctor who refuses to trade a patient's total well-being for the treatment of depression.

Clinical psychiatrist Robert J. Hedaya, M.D., has developed a comprehensive mind-body program to restore lost vitality and sex drive and control weight. A Washington Post bestseller in hardcover, his book offers a proven program of nutrition, exercise, stress reduction, and hormone supplementation that not only lessens the side effects of antidepressants but enhances their benefits as well. Now everyone can benefit from the prescription that has worked wonders for his own patients.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Three Rivers Press (February 13, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 060980541X
• ISBN-13: 978-0609805411
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #58,958 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars finally, an 'establishment' doctor who gets it!, August 24, 2002

By	C. Falcone "bungaloo" (orlando, florida United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As a medical author who has preached and written about nutritional/orthomolecular medicine over the years, I was very, very impressed with Dr. Hedaya's book; finally, we have a bona-fide physician with powerful credentials (Professor of Psychiatry at Georgetown U., I believe) who extolls the benefits---not only of super nutrition in the treatment of depression, but of the food allergy connection (long disputed for its relationship to mood but clinically understood by 'fringe' clinicians for 50 years); hypoglycemia (remember that syndrome? it hasn't gone anywhere!); thyroid function (many doctors prescribe standard thyroid tests which may often miss more subtle defects in that organs' function, but Dr. Hedaya explains exactly what tests are needed to uncover these subtle defects and their connection to depression); vitamins (he actually recommends B-complex in the 50mg. range along with B-12 injections when necessary); adrenal function, and many others. Hedaya even includes notes that your doctor can read regarding testing (kind of like he calling your doctor on your behalf to convey information which is not always put into practice). Very well done.

If there is a slight negative to the book, Hedaya doesn't really endorse St. John's Wort (but does includes fair reasons why there may be some concerns regarding its use and does mention a qualified distributor) or Sam-E (which I have read is fairly safe, and has passed some clinical scrutiny in the treatment of depression). Also, Hedaya doesn't appear to make any mention of 5-HTP (the modern-day tryptophan derivative which has been shown in a number of clinical studies, to naturally and therapeutically improve brain levels of serotonin---the chemical implicated in many depressions). Nor are the very serious side of effects of Paxil withdrawl dealt with in any substantial way (only to say gradual withdrawl is the rule of thumb). I have seen, for example, some studies suggesting that there are nutrient remedies involving glutathione transport(?) which can significantly reduce Paxil side-effects which many support groups on the web report as horrible.

Having said all of this, I would still highly recommend Hedaya's book, as 90% of it is excellent, timely, informative, and deals with the medicine/nutrient connection in a way I haven't seen since Durk Pearson's book, Life Extension, first appeared over 2 decades ago. Finally, highly credentialed physicians in the medical establishment are 'getting it.' Bravo!

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good book, with one word of Caution!, February 9, 2004

By A Customer

Dr. Hedaya has written a good book. He gives hope to people on anti-depressants that they can return to an active life. I especially benefitted from exercise program, diet (5 meals/day, balance carbohydrate and protein in ratio 2:3, get rid of sugar, caffeine....in your diet ), and supplements omega-3 oils, B vitamins....

However, my word of caution - he gives statistics on his patients who have adrenal and thyroid gland problems..... I was given the same diagnosis after my first visit, as well as a host of other problems were diagnosed. After great expense and an enormous amount of testing, none of the original diagnoses panned out ie. my health improved from the basics - diet/exercise and some supplements. If you consider doctors on a spectrum of those who test too little to those who test too much, Dr. Hedaya is definitely on the far extreme of testing a lot (as far as my own experience).

So my suggestion, is to follow the suggested diet and exercise as well as the supplements for at least 6-12 months before you spend thousands of dollars on a host of expensive tests. For myself, it took about 12-18 months to return to my normal weight, energy levels ....

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Helpful BUT..., May 10, 2005

By	Patience Berry - See all my reviews

Dr. Hedaya gives some good advice. He points out how important antidepressants are for the well-being of many of us. He also discusses, rightly, how the SSRI's are far from being side effect-free. Finally, he gives some good tips on coping with these problem.
But I believe his advice is too extreme. Asking people to cut out all flour, sugar, caffeine, and alcohol is just not realistic for many folks, as anyone who knows about harm-reduction strategies in treating addictions can testify. If Dr. Hedays would be willing to modify his approach a bit, I think it would be more helpful. My impression from his tone, however, is that he would not be willing to do this.