Medications for Anxiety & Depression: A no-nonsense, comprehensive guide to the most common (and not so common) antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs available

I have suffered from anxiety and depression for 20 years and my Dr has tried several types of medications on me as my symptoms and physical body would change as I got older. I've never thought to ask my Dr why. I would just suffer through the side effects and try to cope. This compilation has given me an insight as to what I've been taking all these years and why some medications never worked for me. I now feel I have the knowledge and tools to discuss with my Dr the best course of treatment personalized to me thanks to this book by Benjamin Kramer. I would recommend this book to anyone suffering with anxiety and depression who is considering medication as a treatment option.

The ONLY thing I was disappointed in was the pages were not numbered at all. At the front of the book was the contents with the page number of the various subjects But I had to number the pages by hand and my numbers did coincide with the contents. Other than that I find it very helpful.

This book will open your eyes to also taking responsibility for your own health-care. It gives excellent info on the many types of meds out there and we should all know or have knowledge of the ones we have taken or other possibilities that are available.

This book told me just what i needed to know about medications my dr had subscribed. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that sees a psychiatrist.

This book was great for a general overview of depression and anxiety and the medications designed to alleviate them. I recommend it.

The book reads well and you can finish it in one evening. A great read before your first appointment with the psychiatrist. I have read through it twice now, and as a result plan to discuss some medication changes.

No page numbers? Kind of difficult to locate any particular medication due to lack of page numbers (unless the mine is defective?). Great, easy to read information once you find what you’re looking for.

I learned much from reading this book.Very informative.

This book is a very lucid but detailed neuropharmocological drugs knowledge bank which most gps seriously lack. Take charge of your career or life!

Muito boa exposiçao sobre as medicações que tratam do humor. Bem equilibrado e portanto util para quem quer utilizar ou interromper o uso dessas drogas.

Bei 'Medications for Anxiety and Depression' handelt es sich um ein umfangreiches Kompendium zu den einzelnen Antidepressiva, die fester Bestandteil bei der Therapie der beiden angeführten Erkrankungen sind. Autor Benjamin Kramer fungiert dabei weder als Befürworter dieser Medikamente noch lehnt er sie strikt ab, da sie, bei einer handfesten klinischen Depression, eine unterstützende 'Krücke' sein können. Kramer geht hierbei Schritt für Schritt vor, widmet sich ausführlich den einzelnen Medikamentengruppen. Von den SSRIs bis hin zu den Neuroleptika werden hier die medizinischen Indikationen und die gängigen Nebenwirkungen aufgezeigt. Auch verschafft Kramer einen soliden Überblick darüber, welche weiteren Medikamente sich nicht mit Antidepressiva vertragen und welche Medikamentengruppen unter den Antidepressiva kombiniert werden dürfen bzw. welche nicht kombiniert werden dürfen. Kurz behandelt werden zudem Medikamente, die zwar nicht als Antidepressiva gedacht sind, bei gewissen Krankheitsbildern aber durchaus als 'krankheitslindernde' Medikamente zum Einsatz kommen.Ich kann das Buch all denjenigen empfehlen, die an einer wissenschaftlichen Herangehensweise bei diesem Thema interessiert sind und auch keine Berührungsängste vor pharmakologischen Exkursen haben. Um die Funktionsweise eines Antidepressivums zu erläutern, muss man schlichtweg auch die Pharmakologie jener Medikation berücksichtigen. Für diejenigen, die über mehrere Jahre Englisch in der Schule gelernt haben und die Sprache auch weiterhin etwas pflegen, wird das Buch gut zu verstehen sein. Bei der Pharmakologie muss man sich vielleicht ein wenig durchbeißen, was im Deutschen aber wohl keinen Unterschied machen würde. Wie gesagt, das Buch geht wissenschaftlich vor und sollte mit dieser Erwartungshaltung auch gelesen werden.Für Menschen, die sich aufgrund ihrer Erkrankung für eine Medikation entscheiden, kann dieses Buch sehr hilfreich sein. Im besten Falle kann man sich dann gemeinsam mit seinem Arzt für ein Medikament entscheiden.

Excellent guide on different medications. Not too technical so is easy to understand. Also the author seems to be unbiased, not pushing one type of medication above another. Talks about the pros and cons of each drug making it easier for the patient to know what to ask the doctor who is prescribing when deciding whether to try medication in the first place.

After experiencing ongoing prescribed medications from Psychiatrists that made me worse or conflicted with serious health issues I have like my diabetes I felt it’s time to get more educated.I was literally being made worse by going on meds not realising the “experts” were not looking at me as a whole person. I was on meds for years that made me sicker and not warned of horrific withdrawals coming off certain prescription drugs.I’m trying to actually move towards not being on medication unless it’s actually going to be not only helpful but not make my body or mind sicker.I learnt a lot about the different type of meds such as those that increase dopamine, seratonin or both. That was an eye-opener. My Psychiatrist has got it wrong so many times now with my severe depression, so far as to put me on meds that put me into crazy suicidal phases. Once off that med? The thoughts stopped.I’m now looking for a more knowledgeable Psychiatrist who also understands the link between meds for mental health, meds you may be on for physical health issues and how prescribed meds that contradict each other put me in hell.Pills are not the answer to depression and mental health issues, however the right ones that are safe for you along with therapy and help can make a difference.I will not take any drug now unless I research it first. Twice in the last month I’ve been prescribed two drugs that push blood sugar levels up and can CAUSE Type II diabetes. I already have type II and my sugar readings are all over the place. It’s possible the years on meds impacting blood sugars pushed me to being diabetic.I have just been prescribed another med which you can’t take if you have liver problems. Two “masses” or tumours are being investigated on my liver just now and I’ve a history of liver adenomas!Knowing how pharmaceutical companies work in their so called “safety trials” and why certain meds are pushed so hard is critical knowledge.Me? I’ve warned off Duloxetine (Cymbalta) after being put on it 8 years ago after serious trauma spun me into PTSD and depression. What I was not told is the withdrawals are so severe they have their own medical term! Cymbalta Discontinuation Syndrome.The withdrawals are horrific. I won’t list them all but have read in forums the sheer hell others go through coming off this drug. One that’s over prescribed. Why are we not warned that when it’s time to come off what we may go through.This book educated me a lot and led to more research. I’ll never blindly take something again. I now have a voice and question, have input to medical professionals around me. Many did not know basic dangerous effects of drugs prescribed for me personally.My hope? To get off all meds. I’m fighting severe depression and complex PTSD but I have not found anything that helps me. I quite fancy going off-grid, doing a full body detox, using therapy and other methods to heal my mind.Until then I’m still looking for the right fit for me but at least now I understand thanks to the book how different meds work and so much more we just don’t get told.Very highly recommended. Not a book to digest in one sitting, it’s one to keep for long term reference for sure.