Peter D. Kramer: Difference between revisions

Content deleted Content added

Inline

Revision as of 19:46, 24 June 2008

Peter D. Kramer, M.D., is an American psychiatrist, former Marshall Scholar and faculty member of Brown Medical School specializing in the area of depression. He considers depression to be a serious illness with tangible physiological effects such as disorganizing the brain and disrupting the functioning of the cardiovascular system. He criticizes society for romanticizing depression in the same way that tuberculosis was once romanticized; these romantic notions involve claims of artistic sensitivity or of genius arising from depression.

Kramer's most notable book is Listening to Prozac (1993). This work was grounded in the observation that, treated with antidepressants, some patients reported feeling "better than well." This result led Kramer to consider the feasibility of "cosmetic psychopharmacology," the use of medication in healthy people to induce personality traits that are desired or socially rewarded. In the book, Kramer considers the consequences for medical ethics and critiques the tendency of the culture to reward particular personality styles, namely those characterized by energy and assertiveness. The book is commonly but mistakenly believed to argue for the use of the medication.

From 2005 through 2006, Kramer served as principal host of the public radio program The Infinite Mind.

Bibliography

Books

Freud: Inventor of the Modern Mind (2006)
Against Depression (2005)
Spectacular Happiness : A Novel (2001)
Should You Leave? : A Psychiatrist Explores Intimacy and Autonomy—and the Nature of Advice (1997)
Listening to Prozac (1993)
Moments of Engagement: Intimate Psychotherapy in a Technological Age (1989)

Book introductions

The Art of Loving, by Erich Fromm
On Becoming a Person, by Carl Rogers
Better Than Well, by Carl Elliott
The Therapist is the Therapy by LB Fierman

Articles

The Valorization of Sadness (from The Hastings Center Report) (2000)

External links

This biography of an American academic is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

This article about a United States writer of non-fiction is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

This United States biographical article related to radio is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Revision as of 17:52, 25 April 2008 edit Ptypes (talk \| contribs) 305 edits Wikifying ← Previous edit		Revision as of 19:46, 24 June 2008 edit undo 72.195.137.85 (talk) clarified the romance clause at the very end of the first paragraph Next edit →
Line 1:		Line 1:
	'''Peter D. Kramer''', [[M.D.]], is an [[United States\|American]] [[psychiatrist]], former [[Marshall Scholar]] and faculty member of [[Brown Medical School]] specializing in the area of [[clinical depression\|depression]]. He considers depression to be a serious illness with tangible [[physiological]] effects such as disorganizing the brain and disrupting the functioning of the [[cardiovascular system]]. He criticizes society for romanticizing depression in the same way that [[tuberculosis]] was once romanticized; romantic notions involve claims of artistic sensitivity or of [[genius]] arising from depression.		'''Peter D. Kramer''', [[M.D.]], is an [[United States\|American]] [[psychiatrist]], former [[Marshall Scholar]] and faculty member of [[Brown Medical School]] specializing in the area of [[clinical depression\|depression]]. He considers depression to be a serious illness with tangible [[physiological]] effects such as disorganizing the brain and disrupting the functioning of the [[cardiovascular system]]. He criticizes society for romanticizing depression in the same way that [[tuberculosis]] was once romanticized; these romantic notions involve claims of artistic sensitivity or of [[genius]] arising from depression.

	Kramer's most notable book is ''[[Listening to Prozac]]'' (1993). This work was grounded in the observation that, treated with antidepressants, some patients reported feeling "better than well." This result led Kramer to consider the feasibility of "[[cosmetic pharmacology\|cosmetic psychopharmacology]]," the use of medication in healthy people to induce personality traits that are desired or socially rewarded. In the book, Kramer considers the consequences for medical ethics and critiques the tendency of the culture to reward particular [[personality style \| personality styles]], namely those characterized by energy and assertiveness. The book is commonly but mistakenly believed to argue for the use of the medication.		Kramer's most notable book is ''[[Listening to Prozac]]'' (1993). This work was grounded in the observation that, treated with antidepressants, some patients reported feeling "better than well." This result led Kramer to consider the feasibility of "[[cosmetic pharmacology\|cosmetic psychopharmacology]]," the use of medication in healthy people to induce personality traits that are desired or socially rewarded. In the book, Kramer considers the consequences for medical ethics and critiques the tendency of the culture to reward particular [[personality style \| personality styles]], namely those characterized by energy and assertiveness. The book is commonly but mistakenly believed to argue for the use of the medication.