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"A bold and unfettered view of depression today. Whitfield's clear observations and courageous approach make an exciting read. A must for anyone who wants to understand depression in our current clinical, cultural and political context."

J. Douglas Bremner, MD
Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Emory University School of Medicine, Author of Does Stress Damage the Brain

"It gives me great pleasure to endorse Charles Whitfield's important and useful book, The Truth About Depression: Choices for Healing. Among his many important insights, Dr. Whitfield makes the connection between childhood trauma and depression. Written for both a lay and clinical professional audience, this book is of great value to readers because it clearly describes the various types of depression -- as well as its treatment. It also documents the relationship between child abuse of all kinds and the later possibility of lifetime depression and other serious psychological illness. Although psychology and psychiatry have been addressing the reality of trauma in childhood as a major cause of mental illness, before Whitfield's book, this strong evidence was spread widely throughout the clinical and scientific literature. It has not been condensed in one volume until now. The Truth About Depression is an essential, clearly written explanation of one of the most common illnesses that strikes humankind."

Paul Jay Fink, MD
Past President, American Psychiatric Association
Professor of Psychiatry, Temple University School of Medicine

"Important and useful. From his extensive experience with adult survivors of childhood trauma, Charles Whitfield, MD challenges conventional views about the cause and treatment of depression. Clear and well-documented, this book shows us that depression is usually best understood not as a mental illness, but rather as a normal response to abnormal life experiences (traumas), most of which go unrecognized because of their concealment by shame, social nicety, and taboo. Integrating current developments in neurobiology, Dr. Whitfield helps us appreciate the important distinction between experiential cause and neurochemical mechanism in depression. Physicians, other clinicians, patients, and families will find this a helpful book about the cause and treatment of depression. Highly recommended."

Vincent J. Felitti, MD,
California Institutes of Preventive Medicine

"I am impressed with every aspect of this work, from the concise writing style--which makes this book so useful to virtually anyone who acquires it--through content, layout, and a most remarkable array of references. The Truth about Depression will be a resource that I will use time and again in my writing and research. In January 2003, I will eagerly look to find The Truth about Mental Illness on the market."

Carol A. Redding
Editor ACE Study Reporter, San Diego, CA

"In The Truth about Depression, Charles Whitfield makes a clear and compelling case for childhood trauma's undeniable link to childhood and adult depression and outlines a no nonsense, non-drug treatment strategy that works. For clinicians wishing to gain added understanding of depression's root cause and for depressed people, including their family members, wishing to speed their recovery, this book is a must read.

"This is the most 'readable' volume on unresolved childhood trauma's link to depression in print today."

Robert J. Woodson, Ph.D.
Santa Barbara, California