Malignant Sadness

I bought this following 20 years or more of on and off clinical depression, hoping for a detailed first-hand account of the condition combined with a scientist's dispassionate overview of the latest research. Wolpert delivers all of this. His attempts to explain how it feels to be at the bottom of a depressive pit were horribly familiar, and his objective account of SSRI medication made more sense than anything else I have read on or off the web. Not quite 5 stars though, as Wolpert's writing style is a little clunky and heavy-handed. Had I not been acquainted with this style of writing frmo far too many years of research papers, I might have found the book difficult to finish. That said, if you suffer from this tedious and erosive illness, or know someone who does, persist with 'Malignant Sadness', as it contains more good sense than anything else you will read, including this review.

This is an excellent study on depression and it's related condition anxiety. I would not recommend reading it if you are in the mist of a depressive episode as some of the chapters (such as the one entitled 'Mania' and 'Suicide' can be quite disturbing and will make you more depressed. However, the chapter 'What Works?' and the final chapter is excellent.I really think that this would be a great book for the thinking family member or a doctor in general practice wanting a greater understanding and general survey of the subject. I would also recommend it for those considering treating their depression and wanting more information about the treatment choices.Finally, the author is to be congratulated on this book. He is not ashamed to admit his own depression and his recovery from it. There should be no mystery about mental illness because there is none really and with the right help you can recover.

I am very grateful to have found this book. I am searching for an explanation for seemingly inexplicable sudden and very severe depression in someone close to me. I was drawn to this book as Lewis Wolpert is not merely reviewing the evidence, he has suffered from depression himself and it is this dual view that makes this book so very valuable. He brings great clarity to complex psychological and biological concepts, and also illuminates how the depressed patient feels and why they act as they do. He then reviews treatments in the light of this understanding. Exactly what I hoped to find. There are, of course, in the end, no easy answers, but this book shows that more research is needed into this terrifying malignancy that affects so many. Thank you, Lewis Wolpert for taking the time to explain and to clarify, it has helped me a lot.

After having suffered with depression for half of my life, I was beginning to thing nothing would ever help me. I bought this book on a whim as it was only about £2, so I thought why not? That £2 has changed my life. This book is inspiring. The first chapter is about how many people in the world suffer from depression. I found this hugely helpful already as I realised I wasn't alone. Through reading this book, I have realised that people do recover and beat this awful illness. Since reading it, I lent it to my counseller who found it hugely helpful and since then her whole work place have bought one each! Anyone who is losing or has lost hope, just give this book a try, and it might change your life like it did mine.

This is well written and he describes his own situation very well. The more I read the book it makes me feel that there are may different types of depression and that some approaches work for some people and some for others. There is even a place for ECT where all other avenues have failed and the person is really suffering. If it had pushed into this area then I would have given a higher rating.

This was recommended to me by a friend who suffers with depression and as a useful read in supporting someone else close to me who has been diagnosed with depression too. Unfortunately I am finding it a tough, dry read. I am well aware that this may be just "me" as my friend thought it was brilliant and a book everyone should read. I will persevere.

bought to try & understand depression but couldnt get into it really maybe just me

Suffer from clinical depression and want more insights into your illness? - know someone who suffers and are fumbling for ways to help? - suffer and want to help those close to you to understand better? - suffer and want to help a 'new' sufferer to make sense of their position? - THE book, enough said.