In his previous books (Toxic Psychiatry, Talking Back to Prozac), psychiatrist Breggin laid the groundwork for his battle against what he sees as American psychiatry's harmful overdependence on prescribing medication. This time out, he reiterates his primary tenets and, having teamed up with David Cohen, a professor of social work at the University of Montreal, provides practical advice for those who are considering stopping medication. According to the authors, psychiatric drugs have replaced religion, spirituality, human relationships and introspection as the solution of first resort for the suffering endemic to a full human life. Because scientists know very little about the brain, Breggin and Cohen argue, the much-touted theory that depression and mental illness arise from chemical imbalances is "sheer speculation" and the propagandistic cornerstone of a massive public relations campaign by drug companies. In a well-researched argument that suffers from a somewhat dogmatic tone, they contend that, rather than improve the brain's functioning, these drugs actually create such imbalances, causing immediate and sometimes irreversible damage. In place of medication, Breggin and Cohen recommend therapy, as well as a commitment to religious, spiritual or philosophic ideas, and offer a step-by-step approach to ending dependence on medication, to be undertaken only with medical guidance. Although the authors warn readers against feeling pressured to forgo medication, they never explore the alternatives.

From Publishers Weekly

Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.