Posted by Adam on April 20, 2000, at 15:33:51
In reply to Re: Joseph Glenmullen, MD and Prozac Backlash..., posted by Susan on April 17, 2000, at 15:39:04
Susan,
Thank you very much for your impressions and for the Medscape
link.I suspected as much of the book from the interview I heard with
Glenmullen, but as I had not read it or heard otherwise about
it, I wanted to withold judgement.That a physician from an institution as well known and respected
as Harvard University would choose to be an exponent of the
growing antipsychopharmacology movement is truly disturbing.
The power of the Harvard veneer (deserved or not) gives works
by professors at the University a perception among the public of
authority and legitimacy matched by few if any other credentials
short of a Nobel Prize.It's good to know, however, that there may be vocal opposition
to Glenmullen's apparrently irresponsible claims. Especially
from those who Glenmullen cited. It is my hope some of them
publish something of their own in response, to clarify the real
messages of their own research.
> I have reviewed “Prozac Backlash.” Notwithstanding the existence of legitimate issues about the efficacy of those necessary evils, SSRIs, I am here to tell you that Glenmullen is unscientific and polemical to the point of dishonesty. Rhetorically, the book is one long rant against straw men: who the hell are these supposed “false prophets of Prozac and zealots of Zoloft?” Nobody I know. The book is larded with unbelievable anecdotes about supposed patients of Glenmullen who seem not so much depressed as they are mentally retarded. In place of SSRIs, Glenmullen advocates psychotherapy as “an existential encounter,” with plenty of conversation about your nasty bits, and Saint John’s Wort (!).
>
> Glenmullen’s book is nonsense, but so what? Carloads of nonsensical books are published every year. What is most demoralizing about “Prozac Backlash” are the shameless, uncritical endorsements from Harvard faculty members and prominent psychiatrists printed on the book cover, which, frankly, motivated me to buy the book. I want my money back.
>
> Here is a “Prozac Backlash” backlash:
> http://www.medscape.com/MedscapeWire/2000/0400/medwire.0413.prozac.html
>
> Here is Glenmullen’s website: http://www.glenmullen.com/prozacBacklash.html.
poster:Adam
thread:29656
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000420/msgs/30738.html