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Manufacturing Depression: The Secret History of a Modern Disease Audiobook
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(3.13) - 160 listener ratings
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"Am I happy enough?" This has been a pivotal question since America's inception. "Am I not happy enough because I am depressed?" is a more recent version. Psychotherapist Gary Greenberg shows how depression has been manufactured—not as an illness but as an idea about our suffering, its source, and its relief. He challenges us to look at depression in a new way.
In the twenty years since their introduction, antidepressants have become staples of our medicine chests. Upwards of 30 million Americans are taking them at an annual cost of more than $10 billion. Even more important, Greenberg argues, it has become common, if not mandatory, to think of our unhappiness as a disease that can—and should—be treated by medication. Manufacturing Depression tells the story of how we got to this peculiar point in our history.
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"I sort of wish this book had a different title, but I'm not sure what that should be. Don't assume you know what it's going to say based on the title. This is an interesting look at the history of our ideas about depression - what it is, how it should diagnosed, how it's treated (or not.) And, what I didn't expect - a fairly detailed history of the pharmaceutical industry, including its propensity to develop drugs first and find a disease for them later. Greenberg delves into the Book of Job, the hallmark of suffering, and gives us results of modern-day clinical studies. He grapples with questions a lot of us grapple with - when is it depression and when is it "well, your life's pretty crappy right now, of course you're sad"? How long is it appropriate to grieve over a loss? Even if an anti-depressant is only working because of the placebo effect, should that matter? It's still working. He doesn't provide clear-cut answers, but he does provide food for thought."
— Ida (4 out of 5 stars)
Manufacturing Depression Listener Reviews
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" Fantastic read for anyone cynical about Big Pharma, the depression industry, and the "chemical imbalance" theory of depression. "
— Carmen, 2/13/2014 -
" Interesting, mostly the parts about his own experiences clinically and his own experiences of depression. However some great insights into the history of psychoactive medications and the development socially of the 'Prozac generation'. Some parts, especially early on art quite scientific and dry, but are still interesting the develop overall context. Later parts are really interesting detailing the paradigm shifts about the human condition and understanding of emotions up to the Kraepelin model and how that has influenced the DSM models. His views may seem extreme in comparison to the mainstream psychiatric community, but the book thoroughly and persuasively argues it's thesis that human emotions have shifted to be viewed as symptoms to be medicated. "
— Elise, 2/13/2014 -
" Probably only technically deserves four stars, but I give it the spare for bravery and lots of neat facts. Tons. Oh, and MINDBLOWINGNESS? Okay, small explosion when compared to others on similar topics I've read lately... but if I hadn't, this one would have made my brain into dust. "
— Angela, 2/4/2014 -
" I started reading this book because I was interested in the topic. About a hundred pages into it, I forgot all about the topic----I was riding the waves of Greenberg's beautiful prose. To this day I have only a vague idea what his theme was, the writing just overwhelmed me. I wasn't reading anymore; I was listening to music. And because the melody was so enchanting, the lyrics became unimportant. So I can't really comment on the author's subject matter, but I can say this: This book is chock-full of very fine writing, and if you faithfully follow Greenberg from the start he'll reward you every step of the way. And when you reach his crescendo on pp. 332-335, you'll feel like you've won the reader's lottery! At least, that's how I felt. "
— Mark, 11/24/2013 -
" Great book to read for "somebody" who is currently (again) trying to phase out Effexor. :-) "
— Martina, 11/7/2013 -
" Greenburg, a psychotherapist and a sufferer from depression, writes the history of the hit and miss attempts to transform psychological problems into specific diseases that can be cured by specific medications. Highly informative and critical of both psychiatry and pharmaceutics. "
— Margaret, 8/31/2013 -
" Are you depressed? This book won't answer that question but it will help you understand WHY you think you are. A nuanced, engaging book about how Big Pharma has entered not just the economy but our minds, as well. "
— Debbie, 3/9/2012 -
" An engrossing look at the history of our neuroses and the commercialization of them. Doesn't provide any concrete "should I/shouldn't I" answers, which is good, but it really makes you think. "
— Kelly, 12/29/2011 -
" Very interesting book on how history (with its discoveries, famous events, charismatic characters and legal/medical conflicts) shaped the definition of depression and the way we approach it. This is not book based on obscure conspiracy theories but a very good piece of analysis and opinion. "
— Amino, 12/1/2011 -
" Spice cake "
— Carla, 9/16/2011 -
" This book should be read by anyone that thinks they have depression. This is the best book on the topic I've ever read. "
— John, 4/12/2011 -
" Required reading for a post-prozac nation. "
— Sara, 1/27/2011 -
" I found the historical content compelling but could not have been less interested in the author's personal experience with depression. I skimmed most of the personal anecdotes in favor of the historical background. "
— Dianimanimantz, 1/13/2011 -
" Fascinating combination of history, memoir and polemic about a "disease" which is supposed to infect approximately 20% of Americans. If you're interested in taking Prozac, read this first. "
— Phil, 10/11/2010 -
" Great book to read for "somebody" who is currently (again) trying to phase out Effexor. :-) "
— Martina, 8/20/2010 -
" A really heavy book on depression. High on history of depression drugs and psychology, low on current day relevance, and I was looking for more of that throughout. Alas… "
— Jeff, 7/9/2010 -
" Greenburg, a psychotherapist and a sufferer from depression, writes the history of the hit and miss attempts to transform psychological problems into specific diseases that can be cured by specific medications. Highly informative and critical of both psychiatry and pharmaceutics. "
— Margaret, 3/24/2010
About Gary Greenberg
Gary Greenberg has written about the intersection of science, politics, and ethics for many magazines, include Harper’s, the New Yorker, Wired, Discover, Rolling Stone, and Mother Jones, where he’s a contributing writer. His reporting has been widely reprinted and anthologized, including in The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2002. He is also a practicing psychotherapist in Connecticut.
About Kirby Heyborne
Kirby Heyborne is a musician, actor, and professional narrator. Noted for his work in teen and juvenile audio, he has garnered over twenty Earphones Awards. His audiobook credits include Jesse Kellerman’s The Genius, Cory Doctorow’s Little Brother, and George R. R. Martin’s Selections from Dreamsongs.