A. Giordano

Changes our conception of mental illnesses, December 24, 2007

Most of what we've been told for years about mental illness is simply not true. It is not genetic, not the result of brain chemistry, and cannot be fixed through medication.

Continuing in the vein of his prior book "The Truth about Depression," physician and psychotherapist Charles Whitfield chronicles countless studies linking childhood trauma to a host of disorders including generalized anxiety, substance abuse/chemical dependency, eating disorders, dissociative disorders, and schizophrenia. Whitfield unearths overwhelming evidence of the trauma-based roots of most mental illnesses and the physiological as well as emotional/mental implications. Nothing short of shocking and… Read more

A must-read, November 17, 2006

I've read more than dozen books this year on depression and related subjects, and this one is a real eye-opener. Dr. Whitfield pulls together hundreds of research studies examining depression and he finds the same patterns he saw in his own practice, namely that childhood trauma is a huge factor. The book goes on to provide extensive medical evidence explaining the specific ways in which trauma can lead to subsequent emotional disorder.

Everything in this book matches exactly with my own experience. I had been struggling for years to understand why I became depressed, and Dr. Whitfield's books have given me that understanding. It's very therapeutic to learn what happened to you… Read more