May Cause Side Effects: A Memoir

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—all unfurled against a global backdrop. Brooke Siem was among the first generation of teens to be prescribed antidepressants. Initially prescribed a cocktail of drugs at fifteen years old, she and her mother accepted the recommended ""solution"" with no understanding of how the chemicals might change her developing mind or how she might stop the drugs down the road. A decade and a half later, still on the same set of drugs, Brooke was contemplating suicide. If the antidepressants were working, then why did she still want to take her own life? And if the drugs weren't working, who might she be without them? May Cause Side Effects is the gripping story of what happened when, after fifteen years and 10,000 antidepressants, Siem was forced into harrowing antidepressant withdrawal when an opportunity to travel around the world dropped into her lap. An illuminating memoir for those who take, prescribe, or are considering drugs to blunt the pain and experiences that shape our reality, May Cause Side Effects is an honest reminder that the road to true healing and happiness is not found on a prescription pad, but in deep self-work that pushes us to the agonizing edges of who we are.

About the Author :
Brooke Siem is an award-winning chef and writer. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, EatingWell Magazine, Esquire, The Rumpus, The New York Post, Fast Company, and more. She is also a Food Network "Chopped" champion, was named one of Zagat's 30 Under 30, and co-authored Prohibition Bakery, which received the Gourmand World Cookbook award for Best American Pastry Cookbook. She is also the creator of Happiness Is A Skill, devoted to educating people on antidepressant withdrawal, safe de-prescribing, and learning the skill of happiness.

Review :
"Siem's remembrance is as powerfully affecting as it is thoughtful. She combines a courageously confessional forthrightness with an impressive intellectual appraisal."—Kirkus Reviews “This is a heart-rending and tender memoir that will start conversations we urgently need to have. It’s moving and important.”—Johann Hari, author of New York Times bestseller Chasing the Scream and international bestseller Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression—and the Unexpected Solutions "May Cause Side Effects made me weep. It grabs you from the first page and won’t let go. Brooke’s depiction of the fragility and strength of the psyche goes straight to the gut, all at once cutting, wicked, and wise.”—Laura Munson, New York Times bestselling author and founder of Haven Writing Retreats “Brooke gives voice to a generation of young people medicated unnecessarily for grief and loss. But she is not cowered, and her bravery is an inspiration to all who would like to live more authentically. Hopefully others will learn from her experience to separate themselves from the withdrawal effects caused by coming off antidepressants, and to find a life beyond.”—Mark Horowitz, MBBS, PhD, Clinical Research Fellow in Psychiatry at University College London and the National Health Service, England “A gripping story that inspires us all to go back and find the parts of ourselves we lost along the way—to finally, joyfully become who we really are.”—Amy B. Scher, bestselling author of This Is How I Save My Life