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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
vera13's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
madelineemmie's review against another edition
4.0
Yummy but outdated. W for the History chapter. L for some of the analysis. I forgive him though
revrise's review against another edition
3.0
I had to abandon the book. It was a little close to the bone, but the first pages’ were the best description of what depression feels like I have ever read.
kietaflidais's review against another edition
5.0
I've been reading this book for a while. It's a good book so far, but I have to be in the right mood to read it. Otherwise, it's too depressing. However, I think it's a good book for anyone wanting to understand more about depression. Currently taking a break from this book.
carolina75011's review against another edition
5.0
Interesting, well researched, and full of information that changed how I view depression and mental health.
qtpieash3's review against another edition
4.0
This was such an extensive look at depression from so many angles - treatments, biology, history, addiction, evolution - I'm not sure where to start.
In the early stages of the book, I was, frankly, getting frustrated with the author. I felt like he was wallowing and refusing to do anything to help himself. I googled him, though, and found he's no schlump. Educated at Horace Mann, Yale, and Cambridge, Solomon was a wunderkind of sorts. He was also catapulted to NYC fame after this was published, always having been sort of a socialite. It did seem to be like he was resisting happiness and that I couldn't understand.
Since this was such an exhaustive view of the topc of depression, I'm thinking bullet points will be best. Note that a lot deal with suicide; while no-doubt a morbid topic, Solomon's discussion is one of the most candid I've ever seen. Usually wrapped in secrecy, shame, and a strong sense of taboo, it was enlightening to see it approached and examined from a variety of angles.
- When speaking about populations, Solomon shares that children of depressive mothers have more difficulties in the world than children of schizophrenic mothers, perhaps because depression has an effect on the basic mechanisms of parenting. Such children are more likely to suffer from depression, ADHD, separation anxiety, conduct disoreders, and have an unusually high amount of physical complaints such as allergies, severe headaches, stomachaches and feelings of unsafeness, or paranoia. These effects are present as early as age 2 and by age 4 ae highly pronounced.
- Depression and addiction often go hand-in-hand. Depressives seek drugs to alleviate their pain and addicts become depressed either through the drugs' impact on the brain and/or their situation.
- Solomon postulated extensively on suicide, consciousness, and free wil, asking, "what change will death produce in a man's existence and in his insight into the nature of things?" Of course, it's an impossible experiment, for "it involves the destruction of the very consciousness which puts the question and awaits its answer.
- One mental health critic argues that suicide is "a fundamental human right". He points to a Harvard study where doctors were given case histories of and asked to make a diagnosis. The doctors diagnosed mental illness in 22% of the cases if they were not told the patient had committed suicide. If this fact was included, the menal illness diagnosis jumped to 90%.
- People most often commit suicides on Mondays; suicides are most prevalent between later morning and noon; most occur during springtime. Women have a higher rate of suicide during the first and last week of the menstrual cycle (likely due to hormones) and a low rate during pregnancy and in the first year after birth (makes evolutionary sense).
- When a major suicide story is covered by the media, the rate of suicide in the US increases by 12%. If one person in a group of people commits suicide, another from the same group will likely follow, especially if the group is comprised of teenagers. There is a decidedly contagious nature in suicide.
- Access is also important. The US is the only country where most suicides are committed with a gun. The 10 states with the weakest gun-control laws have a suicide rate twice that of the ten states with the strongest laws. In China, women typically commit suicide by eating toxic pesticides and fertilizers as they are readily available. In India, more than half of suicides are committed by jumping in front of trains. When England switched its gas service from lethal coke gas to less toxic natural gas, the overall suicide dropped by 1/3, with annual gas-related suicides falling from 2,368 to 11.
- The successful are not immune: Scientists, composers, and high-level businessmen are 5 times more likely to commit suicide than the general population. Writers, especially poets, have an even higher rate of suicide. Successful people tend to set lofty goals for themselves and are often disappointed by even their greatest acheivements.
- Approximately 1/3 of all completed suicide attempts and 1/4 of all attempts are committed by alcoholics. Those attempting suicide while drunk or under the influence of drugs are much more likely to succeed than their sober counterparts. 15% of serious alcoholics take their own lives.
- Senator Harry Reid's father committed suicide
- One of the first insane asylums was located in Bedlam, England is forefather to the word 'bedlam'
- As depression is difficult for a doctor to diagnose with 100% certainty, the doctor must rely on the patient's descriptions of their moods and feelings, some argue that SSRIs should be available over the counter, for people to take as needed. Most of the more standard SSRIs are inexpensive and have relatively few side effects (though the latter is a point of contention).
- Solomon argues that depression surely has an evolutionary function, or it would no longer exist. Some ideas include that mild depressions can be somewhat useful in helping people clarify what they truly value in life, regret past mistakes, and ensure that personal actions are congruent with closely held beliefs and ideas.
Overall, this was a good read. While it's exhaustive and dense, it also gives one a glimpse into the minds of others - minds we hope to never find our own.
In the early stages of the book, I was, frankly, getting frustrated with the author. I felt like he was wallowing and refusing to do anything to help himself. I googled him, though, and found he's no schlump. Educated at Horace Mann, Yale, and Cambridge, Solomon was a wunderkind of sorts. He was also catapulted to NYC fame after this was published, always having been sort of a socialite. It did seem to be like he was resisting happiness and that I couldn't understand.
Since this was such an exhaustive view of the topc of depression, I'm thinking bullet points will be best. Note that a lot deal with suicide; while no-doubt a morbid topic, Solomon's discussion is one of the most candid I've ever seen. Usually wrapped in secrecy, shame, and a strong sense of taboo, it was enlightening to see it approached and examined from a variety of angles.
- When speaking about populations, Solomon shares that children of depressive mothers have more difficulties in the world than children of schizophrenic mothers, perhaps because depression has an effect on the basic mechanisms of parenting. Such children are more likely to suffer from depression, ADHD, separation anxiety, conduct disoreders, and have an unusually high amount of physical complaints such as allergies, severe headaches, stomachaches and feelings of unsafeness, or paranoia. These effects are present as early as age 2 and by age 4 ae highly pronounced.
- Depression and addiction often go hand-in-hand. Depressives seek drugs to alleviate their pain and addicts become depressed either through the drugs' impact on the brain and/or their situation.
- Solomon postulated extensively on suicide, consciousness, and free wil, asking, "what change will death produce in a man's existence and in his insight into the nature of things?" Of course, it's an impossible experiment, for "it involves the destruction of the very consciousness which puts the question and awaits its answer.
- One mental health critic argues that suicide is "a fundamental human right". He points to a Harvard study where doctors were given case histories of and asked to make a diagnosis. The doctors diagnosed mental illness in 22% of the cases if they were not told the patient had committed suicide. If this fact was included, the menal illness diagnosis jumped to 90%.
- People most often commit suicides on Mondays; suicides are most prevalent between later morning and noon; most occur during springtime. Women have a higher rate of suicide during the first and last week of the menstrual cycle (likely due to hormones) and a low rate during pregnancy and in the first year after birth (makes evolutionary sense).
- When a major suicide story is covered by the media, the rate of suicide in the US increases by 12%. If one person in a group of people commits suicide, another from the same group will likely follow, especially if the group is comprised of teenagers. There is a decidedly contagious nature in suicide.
- Access is also important. The US is the only country where most suicides are committed with a gun. The 10 states with the weakest gun-control laws have a suicide rate twice that of the ten states with the strongest laws. In China, women typically commit suicide by eating toxic pesticides and fertilizers as they are readily available. In India, more than half of suicides are committed by jumping in front of trains. When England switched its gas service from lethal coke gas to less toxic natural gas, the overall suicide dropped by 1/3, with annual gas-related suicides falling from 2,368 to 11.
- The successful are not immune: Scientists, composers, and high-level businessmen are 5 times more likely to commit suicide than the general population. Writers, especially poets, have an even higher rate of suicide. Successful people tend to set lofty goals for themselves and are often disappointed by even their greatest acheivements.
- Approximately 1/3 of all completed suicide attempts and 1/4 of all attempts are committed by alcoholics. Those attempting suicide while drunk or under the influence of drugs are much more likely to succeed than their sober counterparts. 15% of serious alcoholics take their own lives.
- Senator Harry Reid's father committed suicide
- One of the first insane asylums was located in Bedlam, England is forefather to the word 'bedlam'
- As depression is difficult for a doctor to diagnose with 100% certainty, the doctor must rely on the patient's descriptions of their moods and feelings, some argue that SSRIs should be available over the counter, for people to take as needed. Most of the more standard SSRIs are inexpensive and have relatively few side effects (though the latter is a point of contention).
- Solomon argues that depression surely has an evolutionary function, or it would no longer exist. Some ideas include that mild depressions can be somewhat useful in helping people clarify what they truly value in life, regret past mistakes, and ensure that personal actions are congruent with closely held beliefs and ideas.
Overall, this was a good read. While it's exhaustive and dense, it also gives one a glimpse into the minds of others - minds we hope to never find our own.
bella613's review
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
There are parts that might be a bit outdated, but overall, this is a great "atlas of depression"
I might listen to the unabridged version at some point. I'm curious what else is in it as the listening time is over 3x this abridged version.
I might listen to the unabridged version at some point. I'm curious what else is in it as the listening time is over 3x this abridged version.
elizanne24's review against another edition
4.0
Beautifully written, but I could not finish. Made it 1/3rd through.
allie8973's review against another edition
It's more like a collection of depression information (stories) but like its not making me less depressed or getting out of it. Infact it might make it worse, sitting in the muck