Awards

• Runner-up for Independent Publisher Book Award (Psychology/Mental Health category) 2021
• Short-listed for National Indie Excellence Award (Psychiatry/Psychology category) 2021
• Short-listed for Next Generation Indie Book Award (Science/Nature category) 2021
• Winner of IndieReader Discovery Award (Psychology/Mental Health category) 2021

Overview

"She can't sleep, she's lost weight, and now she's tried to kill herself. What's wrong? Will we ever get her back? These questions started science writer Sarah Zabel on a mission to understand the biology of depression, from its origins in a person to how it is treated today. Decades ago, the discovery of antidepressant medications pushed psychiatry to realize that depression has a medical basis, but the very success of those medications stifled new research into its causes and cures. For nearly half of depression's sufferers, though, traditional antidepressants fail to restore a normal life. Now, new discoveries have started to lift the veil obscuring what is happening in the brain and body of the sufferer, providing new treatments and hope for millions of people. Winner of the IndieReader Discovery Award (Psychology / Mental Health) and Silver Medalist, Independent Publisher Book Award (Psychology / Mental Health) ""Fighting Chance approaches its subject with hope."" -- Foreword Clarion Reviews Fighting Chance: How Unexpected Observations and Unintended Outcomes Shape the Science and Treatment of Depression takes the reader inside the circuitous search for the causes and cures for depression, the leading cause of ill health and disability world-wide. A surprisingly human tale of failed experiments and unanticipated victories, Fighting Chance reveals many of the people and experiences behind the modern approach to understanding and treating depression. The story begins with the serendipitous discovery of antidepressant medications, an unexpected advance that encouraged psychiatrists to reconceive major depression as an illness rather than an emotional state. The discoveries pile on, showing depression's relationship with stress, inflammation, circadian rhythms, and more. As scientists work to make sense of these observations and advance the biology of depression, they are also learning about vulnerability and resistance, and the process of recovery. From its underpinnings in cellular neuroscience to current research efforts, Fighting Chance is a scientific journey inside depression. Incorporating the voices of researchers making fundamental discoveries about depression, physicians fighting to bring the most advanced treatment options to their patients, and ordinary people struggling for relief from their illness, Fighting Chance is a compelling tale of hope, resilience, and ingenuity. ""Fighting Chance is an essential resource, particularly for those who encounter depressed individuals who may be at high risk for suicide... It is unusual to find a book on depression that is so well written, with clear takeaways of where the field is today and future directions."" -- Blynn Garland Bunney, PhD, University of California, Irvine ""An essential addition to the library of anyone impacted by this disease."" -- IndieReader ""Inherently fascinating and impressively informative."" -- Midwest Book Review "

Full Product Details

9781735845432

Table of Contents

Reviews

An inherently fascinating and impressively informative medical history of treating chronic depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and related psychological ailments, Fighting Chance: How Unexpected Observations and Unintended Outcomes Shape the Science and Treatment of Depression is a truly seminal study that is exceptionally well written, organized and presented. -- Midwest Book Review Fighting Chance is an essential resource, particularly for those who encounter depressed individuals who may be at high risk for suicide... It is unusual to find a book on depression that is so well written, with clear takeaways of where the field is today and future directions. -- Blynn Garland Bunney, PhD, University of California, Irvine A comprehensive study of the history and science of depression, FIGHTING CHANCE examines the causes, symptoms, and treatments of this disease as research and understanding have evolved over time. Providing the perspectives of clinicians, researchers, and patients, Sarah Zabel deftly illustrates the physical and emotional toll of depression on those who suffer from it. An essential addition to the library of anyone impacted by this disease. -- IndieReader Fighting Chance approaches its subject with hope, taking an expansive look at the underlying science to suggest the possibility of a less troubled future. -- Foreword Clarion Reviews Well-researched, engagingly written and informative... will interest anyone seeking a better understanding of depression. -- BlueInk Reviews A meticulous and thoughtful scientific exploration. -- Kirkus Reviews

A comprehensive study of the history and science of depression, FIGHTING CHANCE examines the causes, symptoms, and treatments of this disease as research and understanding have evolved over time. Providing the perspectives of clinicians, researchers, and patients, Sarah Zabel deftly illustrates the physical and emotional toll of depression on those who suffer from it. An essential addition to the library of anyone impacted by this disease. -- IndieReader Fighting Chance approaches its subject with hope, taking an expansive look at the underlying science to suggest the possibility of a less troubled future. -- Foreword Clarion Reviews Well-researched, engagingly written and informative... will interest anyone seeking a better understanding of depression. -- BlueInk Reviews A meticulous and thoughtful scientific exploration. -- Kirkus Reviews

Author Information

Sarah Zabel started writing after completing a long career in the U.S. Air Force. An award-winning educator, she holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in computer science. She currently resides in Bayview, Idaho.

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