Moody Bitches: The Truth About the Drugs You're Taking, the Sleep You're Missing, the Sex You're Not Having, and What's Really Making You Crazy

A VERY QUALIFIED PSYCHIATRIST GIVES MEDICAL/EMOTIONAL/RELATIONSHIP SUPPORT AND SCIENTIFIC REASONS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR THE DIFFICULT TRANSITION DURING PERI-MENOPAUSE AND THE CHANGES THAT PRESENT SUCH CHALLENGES FOR INDIVIDUALS AND COUPLES.

If you're wondering whether or not to start taking mood-regulating drugs or if you are currently taking one and wondering if you should stop--this book will help you. Moody Bitches is not all about how terrible these drugs are--for some people they are life savers, and for some people they may help for a limited time. There's a very useful section of the book describing the pros and cons of a number of different drugs. But I also did learn from this book that there are costs--sometimes not that obvious--to taking these medications. There are side effects, but they are not the type that will be listed on the label. These are more nuanced issues that will result from cutting yourself off from experiencing your true emotions. I know from personal experience the damage that can be caused, as I made some poor life decisions while taking an anti-anxiety medication that I most likely only should have stayed on for a short time, if at all.I relate very strongly to what Dr. Holland writes in Moody Bitches--I wish I had it available to me ten years ago. It would have given me the information I needed to make a better choice for myself; it would have helped me realize that there wasn't anything wrong with me--it was just the untenable situation I was in. It would have been much better to deal with the things that were causing me stress instead of medicating it away.I would recommend this book to pretty much all of my women friends in their twenties, thirties, forties and beyond. It's a great book to read whether or not you are taking any medications, but especially if you are--medications for anxiety and depression as well as birth control, sleep remedies or hormone replacement therapy. All of these medications have side effects and will result in unintended consequences that I'm sure many people don't realize.Some will see this book as a backlash against medications that are helping many women, but I don't see it that way at all. Holland isn't advocating an end to prescribing these drugs, she is only putting information out that there we need in order to make the best health decisions. There is no way that one in four women need to be on mood-regulating medications. I think this is a bad situation created by the pharmaceutical industry and living in a culture with upside down priorities.I love Holland's holistic approach; taking care of our physical bodies in a natural way will help us achieve emotional health as well. She includes a lot of great information about the importance of good sleep habits, eating healthy, having good sex, and being exposed to nature. The goal is to move away from depression and anxiety while facing difficulties like sadness, grief and worry.

An excellent book with lots of candid information. As a woman who has been on several different forms of birth control and anti-depressants in the past, it is important to understand how these medications can affect your moods so that you don’t end up completely over medicated. It is also very surprising that doctors dispense these medications so often without considering the ramifications for the patient. A must-read for any woman taking regular medication, and a fascinating read for anyone who wants to understand the lives of women more.I’m taking off one star because the author occasionally overdoes referring to women who are acting bitchy as bitches or bitchy. I realize that she is reclaiming the word “bitch” to make a point - that these women are behaving normally according to their justified and healthy biological processes. However I think she is too accepting of the social norm of labelling women or behavior “bitches” when it is actually just rational behavior and society should be more accepting of the biological experiences and normal behavior of women. She mentions that her husband should be praised for tolerating two “moody bitches” at once - herself at perimenopause and her daughter at puberty. This statement really threw me off because it sounds apologetic - not empowering. I feel it also assumes that men are immune from all hormone and self-control issues which we know is not true, and further they are not labeled bitches for their actions. The book proceeds very logically and then every once in a while an odd, frumpy comment about “a bitch” comes up and breaks the stride. Those moments come across a bit outdated, like a Cathy cartoon, which I found a bit bothersome.

This book will explain why women are a hot mess. It helps you understand what women experience, but will change the way you look at women forever. Every word and thought is driven by hormones. I wish I could un-read it. I thought only men were a slave to hormones, I thought women were different/better. But men and women are a chemical chess game.

In Moody Bitches, Dr. Julie Holland is "strumming my pain with her fingers, singing my life with her words." I'm only half way in, but I already know that this is one of the most important books I've ever read, and might ever read. I've struggled with moodiness and depression my whole life, but never has anyone helped me to understand myself, my moods and my body as Dr. Holland has, via this incredible book.On page 142, It's amazing that Dr. H writes "I wish we had some sort of red tent, where women could gather to learn from one another and grow together" yet, that is what she has created, in literary form. It can't be coincidence that under the dust jacket, the book is red! Moody Bitches is a "red tent", and Julie Holland is the wise and funny guru sitting inside. I've learned so much already, and as I mentioned, I'm just half-way in. I've taken so many pages of notes, I feel like I'm transcribing the book from type to chicken scratch, but that's just how many "aha!" moments I've had while reading this. Whether the discovery is about myself (I'm more normal than I've realized), cannabis (no wonder I love it), men (I'm learning about my husband), or prescription drugs (I've always been wary)...it's just all really, really good information. Dr. H, if you ever read this review, I want to personally thank you writing this book.I can't put this book down. My only mistake was mentioning the title to my husband, 'cause now he feels validated.

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A great book with a lot of info. Nice read, that makes you realize why your mood is as it is and what you can do about it. Or how to except it.

Nice book worth reading.

I learned so much. Author knows a lot and writes well

A very informative and important book for all readers. It specifically starts with clearly showing the over medication of women over many years..."feeling low? and your anti-depressant isn't enough? Tell your doctor about xxx". Our feelings are who we are, why should we be denying the fact that women do have a different emotional make-up than men? It seems it just can't be said enough that yes there arte serious mental conditions that do require medication. Take bipolar---no doctor should simply hand out an initial prescription and send a person home with it!! It affects all of us in different ways! Its time to really look at what we do need because of actual, proven, lifelong issues such as PTSD or bipolar and follow the patient carefully to ensure 'the fit' is right. The power of mass advertising has made us question --maybe postpartum or extreme tiredness resulting in difficulties concentrating for example. I would encourage everyone to read this, yes, men too, to understand moods versus conditions requiring continuous monitoring and medication.