
May Cause Side Effects
A Memoir
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Narrated by:
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Candace Joice
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By:
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Brooke Siem
About this listen
An unforgettable memoir about the turmoil of antidepressant withdrawal and the work it takes to unravel the stories we tell ourselves to rationalize our suffering.
Brooke Siem was among the first generation of minors to be prescribed antidepressants. Initially diagnosed and treated in the wake of her father’s sudden death, this psychiatric intervention sent a message that something was pathologically wrong with her and that the only “fix” was medication. As a teenager, she stepped into the hazy world of antidepressants just at the time when she was forming the foundation of her identity. For the following fifteen years, every situation she faced was seen through the lens of brokenness.
A decade and a half later, still on the same cocktail of drugs, Brooke found herself hanging halfway out her Manhattan high-rise window, calculating the time it would take to hit the ground. As she looked for breaks in the pedestrian traffic patterns, a thought dawned on her: “I’ve spent half my life—and my entire adult life—on antidepressants. Who might I be without them?”
Unfurled against a global backdrop, May Cause Side Effects is the gripping story of what happened when, after fifteen years and 32,760 pills, Brooke was faced with a profound choice that plunged her into a year of excruciating antidepressant withdrawal and forced her to rebuild her entire life.
An illuminating memoir for those who take, prescribe, or are considering psychiatric drugs, May Cause Side Effects is an honest reminder that the road to true happiness is not mapped on a prescription pad. Instead, Brooke’s story reveals the messy reality of how healing begins at the bottomless depth of our suffering, in the deep self-work that pushes us to the edges of who we are.
©2022 Central Recovery Press (P)2022 Central Recovery PressListeners also enjoyed...
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Loved it - Sadly Relatable
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Brooke Siem's writing is very exceptional, and the narration of Candace Joice is equally impressive. Siem masterfully weaves seemingly casual details into crucial plot points, creating a deeply satisfying and interconnected narrative. This book deserves a film adaptation.
The vocal range of Candace Joice and nuanced delivery bring the characters and events to life, suggesting a close collaboration with the author. The story's layered complexity and escalating drama are keeping me utterly captivated. I wish I could give it more than five stars and eagerly await Siem's next audiobook!
Beyond Five Stars! A Must-Listen Audiobook!
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Very impressed!
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Life changing
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Well done, and thank you Brooke!
An Engrossing Read/Listen!
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Tragic reality of so many young people.
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Unbelievable story on how to manage an unmanageable situation
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I liked this book…
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