Herbs for the Mind: What Science Tells Us about Nature's Remedies for Depression, Stress, Memory Loss, and Insomnia (Paperback)

~ Jonathan R. T. Davidson MD (Author), Kathryn M. Connor (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Herbs are all the rage. But herbal products are largely unregulated by the government, and much of what we know about them is based on patient testimonials and marketing mumbo jumbo rather than hard scientific evidence. Despite these large gaps in our knowledge, herb use is on the rise as people grow increasingly dissatisfied with mainstream medicine.

To sort out the hype from the science, two respected Duke University psychiatrists trained in traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine wrote Herbs for the Mind. They provide in-depth reviews of the data behind four popular alternative remedies: St. John's wort for depression, kava for stress or anxiety, gingko for memory loss, and valerian for insomnia. They also provide overviews of the symptoms, causes, and traditional treatments for these ailments.

Herbs for the Mindis an invaluable resource if you're considering using natural remedies to treat mental maladies. It guides you in deciding where herbs fit into an overall treatment plan, how to enlist your doctor's help in developing an herbal self-help program, how to know if an herb is working for you, when to switch brands or products, and when to stop using herbs altogether. It also points out what medicine has yet to learn about herbs, including the potential dangers of long-term use. A glossary defines commonly used terms, and a resource section provides a list of authoritative herbal and mental health textbooks, journals, and organizations. --Nancy Monson --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal

"Depression hurts, stress kills, anxiety is unnerving, insomnia is debilitating, and faulty memory is a major disadvantage in today's demanding world." It's no wonder that ginkgo (used to improve memory) and St. John's wort (used for depression) were the two best-selling herbals in 1998. Davidson and Connor, both psychiatrists at Duke University, take the above two herbs as well as kava and valerian (they may have anti-anxiety properties), summarize the scientific evidence, and make prudent recommendations about their use. They also talk about the pros and cons of traditional treatments for depression, anxiety, memory loss, and insomnia. What distinguishes this book from other herbals is balance. The scientific studies are reviewed objectively, and in-depth discussions are offered of each herb's side effects, limitations, and possible benefits and drawbacks. There is also a lot of information on the history of these herbs and how they work physiologically. Sure to please both diehard adherents of alternative medicine and outright skeptics, this should be required reading for all health professionals and students. Highly recommended for all libraries, from consumer to academic to medical.
Natalie Kupferberg, Ohio State Univ. Pharmacy Lib., Columbus
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 278 pages
• Publisher: The Guilford Press (May 11, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1572304766
• ISBN-13: 978-1572304765
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,242,558 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have!, August 15, 2000

By	Becky Flack (Baton Rouge, LA) - See all my reviews

Herbs for the Mind is an excellent, easy to read guide for navigating what is often a confusing path - that of successfully using alternative treatments for mental health problems. What to take? How much? What are the differences in brands? Such questions, and many more are answered clearly and concisely in Herbs for the Mind.

It is refreshing to learn about herbal remedies in a straighforward and scientifically-based manner. Drs. Davidson and Connor have truly done us a great service with their book. Anyone, from savvy consumers to mental health practitioners, can benefit greatly from the information in Herbs for the Mind. I have already used it, personally and professionally, with success. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in mental health!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "must" for alternative medicine reference collections., September 4, 2000

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

In the past five years herbal remedies have led natural products in the health care market, but consumers are asking new questions about the safety and effectiveness of these unregulated substances. Researchers and psychiatrists examine herbs related to mental health, telling how to assess common herbs for effectiveness, side effects, and lasting impact.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book changed my attitude about herbal remedies!, July 20, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Herbs for the Mind: What Science Tells Us about Nature's Remedies for Depression, Stress, Memory Loss, and Insomnia (Hardcover)

I have sought advice from time to time for depression, anxiety, and sleep problems, but I've never considered "alternative medicine." But I took a look at Herbs for the Mind and started reading first about St. John's wort for depression. I learned things I didn't know about depression, and I learned how and why to try this herbal remedy. The whole book, then, was of interest to me and I have enjoyed reading the history of herbal remedies and all the details of the various studies that tell us what and when herbs are useful. Everyone I mention this book to wants it! I'm really glad I found it, and I'm really glad these two psychiatrists from Duke University decided to step out of the laboratory and write it.