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A review by carolined314
The Mind and the Brain: Neuroplasticity and the Power of Mental Force by Sharon Begley, Jeffrey M. Schwartz
4.0
This is a book about plasticity in the brain. Schwartz treated OCD patients in a way that was entirely novel at the time and now has become the standard. Although most of his examples are about OCD, the neuroscience base that he writes about is applicable across many disorders or poorly organized orders. For instance, in one section he talks about getting something stuck in your mind; the example is of someone needing to wash her hands until they bled, but his solutions were equally useful if you have an earworm song that won't quit resonating.
Like a lot of popsci, your mileage will vary. You may need to skip chapters, or read up on terms that aren't fully explained, based on your neuroscience background. I found the tale of how some patients demonstrated neural plasticity through behavioral changes that led to increased happiness quite compelling.
Like a lot of popsci, your mileage will vary. You may need to skip chapters, or read up on terms that aren't fully explained, based on your neuroscience background. I found the tale of how some patients demonstrated neural plasticity through behavioral changes that led to increased happiness quite compelling.