The Myth of Depression As Disease: Limitations And Alternatives to Drug Treatment

Depression is commonly thought of as a biological disorder best treated with antidepressant medications. Pharmaceutical companies and many experts promote this view as established in scientific fact. Here, Leventhal and Martell argue that there is scant actual scientific evidence for this view, and that the issue is open to considerable question. They maintain that there is very little known--they call the evidence woefully weak--regarding the role of biology in depression. Marketing by drug producers has not only led the public to accept dubious claims and over-value antidepressants, but has also led medical doctors to prescribe them excessively. Leventhal and Martell argue that the effectiveness of psychological therapy has strong scientific support in the treatment of anxiety and depression, and it is safer and results in less frequent relapse. This book will help consumers decide which treatment is best for them. It includes a list of questions to ask before accepting a prescription for antidepressant medication.

Readers will find this book helpful in understanding the controversy surrounding the widespread prescription and use of antidepressants. It traces the history and science behind the pharmaceutical treatment of depression, and it presents, in accessible language, information that will empower readers to make the best choices possible regarding the treatment of their own or their loved ones’ feelings of depression and anxiety. The audience for this book includes those who are depressed and considering professional help, those concerned about health care and the services offered in the mental health field, and doctors or mental health professionals who may wish to reconsider the basis for treatments they are recommending to patients. Students and scholars in psychology, clinical psychology, public health, social work, and psychiatry will also find this of interest.

Allan M. Leventhal is Professor Emeritus of Psychology at American University, where he also served as Director of the Counseling Center. He is a Diplomate in Clinical Psychology with the American Board of Professional Psychology, a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, and past president of the Maryland Psychological Association, as well as past chairman of the Maryland State Board of Examiners of Psychologists. Until his retirement last year, he was engaged in the out-patient practice of psychology for more than twenty-five years. He is the recipient of an Outstanding Psychologist Award from the Maryland Psychological Association.

Christopher R. Martell is Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Washington, and a psychologist in private practice in Seattle. He is a Diplomate in Clinical Psychology and Behaviorial Psychology with the American Board of Professional Psychology, and a Fellow of the American Psychological Association. He is past president of the Washington State Psychological Association, a founding fellow of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy, and recipient of the 2004 Washington State Psychological Association’s Distinguished Psychologist award.