Author(s): Alex Riley

Health

Depression is a Leading Cause of disability and a growing health crisis that affects every single one of us. Fortunately, it is also highly treatable. In this profound and sweeping history, science writer Alex Riley charts the macabre, ingenious, and often surprising developments in the science of mental health care over the last two thousand years. Interweaving personal and family experiences with the history of biological and psychological treatments for depression, these stories illuminate the past, question the current state of diagnosis, and investigate the hype and hopes surrounding new therapies. A thoroughly researched and endlessly compelling work, A Cure for Darkness centers diversity of experiences in mental illness and its treatment, both between individuals and in different cultures around the world. From the reemergence of long-forgotten therapies to a group of grandmothers who stand at the forefront of a revolution in mental health care, A Cure for Darkness is an essential exploration of one of the most pressing problems of our time. Book jacket.