Product Description

In this breakthrough US bestseller, you'll see scientific evidence that your anxiety, depression, anger, obsessiveness or impulsiveness could be related to how specific structures in your brain work. Pioneering neuropsychiatrist Dr Daniel Amen provides convincing evidence that many problems formerly considered psychological, such as anxiety and depression, actually have a biological basis. The good news is that you're not stuck with the brain you're born with. In this groundbreaking book, Dr Amen offers a wealth of surprising ? and effective ? 'brain prescriptions' that can help heal your brain and change your life.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #22965 in Books
• Published on: 2009-04-02
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 352 pages

Review
'Opens the door to assessment and interventions that can change your life.' --Robert D. Hunt, M.D., associate clinical professor of psychiatry Vanderbilt School of Medicine

'Cutting edge technology, clinical wisdom, and heartfelt guidance come together to creat a 'user's manual for enhancing the human braib.' Dr. Amen offers simple, direct, and immediately applicable prescriptions that can change anyone's life.'; --Emmett E. Miller, M.D., author of DEEP HEALING: THE ESSENCE OF MIND/BODY MEDICINE

'CHANGE YOU BRAIN, CHANGE YOUR LIFE is a pioneering book. Dr. Amen provides a clear and convinicing evidence that many behavioral disorders formerly considered psychological actually have a biological basis. Through the lens of exciting new brain imaging techiniques, you can see what depression, anxiety, temper, impulsiveness, and obsession actually look like in the brain. He gives many practical suggestions for overcoming these problems, and gives many tools for optimizing the brain and improving life.' --Rob Kohn, D.O., psychiatrist and neurologist, University of Illinois at Chicago

About the Author
Dr Daniel G Amen is a clinical neuroscientist, psychiatrist, Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and CEO of Amen Clinics, Inc in the US. Www.amenclinic.com

Customer Reviews

Highly Recommended
This is a book that has the ability to change lives and attitudes. For anyone new to the concept of the brain as the seat of most human behaviour, this book will be a revelation. Many may feel slightly uneasy as their world view is called into question and concepts such as free will have to be re-evaluated in the light of new evidence.

Amen orientates his reader by giving simple and clear descriptions of the different parts of the brain and their function. He explains how the level of activity in different parts of the brain will impact on our thoughts, feelings and behaviours.


To parents whose child fails to conform to societal expectations, even though they have followed all the recognised parenting guidelines, then this book tells you what deep down you probably already knew - your child is different and really can't help themselves - you are not an ineffectual parent.


Amen draws on years of experience as a psychiatrist and clinical neuroscientist. He and his colleagues have had access to thousands of SPECT images (nuclear medicine brain scans, which show how active different parts of the brain are). By correlating abnormal scans with abnormal thoughts, feelings and behaviours they are now able to use brain scans to diagnose specific disorders. Amen explains how with this new science psychiatrists will be able to properly diagnose a disorder and to more accurately target the problem with the right drug rather than relying on the patient's reporting of symptoms as we do at present, and the psychiatrists interpretation of their behaviour. The process is no longer as reliant on trial and error. Seeing scans of their own dysfunctional brains encourages patients to be more complaint with their treatment and to take more responsibility for keeping up any long-term medication. They are also more likely to be motivated to look at life-style choices which may affect their health and to alter their diet, change their thinking patterns etc. to help manage their underlying brain dysfunction.

Amen pays particular attention to ADHD, OCD, anxiety disorders and depression which are all common in the Aspergers community. Amen explains how when the deep limbic system in the brain is over active negative thoughts and a pessimistic , self-defeating thought pattern is inevitable (depression). For those with mild problems he suggests practical self-talking techniques to alter negative thinking and to re-programme the brain. For the more severe cases an individually tailored drug programme will also be needed. Simple dietary advice is also suggested. Amen gives the reader confidence that brain disorders can be controlled and even cured with the right treatment over the correct length of time.

In the final section of the book Amen takes his work further and controversially suggests that some unhappy marriages that have not responded to normal counselling, respond well when he scans their brains and corrects severe imbalances in both parties. This can restore harmony to an otherwise miserable marriage.


Many may be deeply troubled by the Scan findings and find it hard to accept that our brain is responsible for our personality, behaviour and abilities. However surely the converse is just as disturbing. The historical belief that we are entirely responsible for all our actions cruelly leaves many people (those with different and extreme brains) labelled as bad, morally weak, wantonly misbehaving - if they would only work harder and their parents be consistent disciplinarians, they would be able to conform. The reality is, that after decades of talking therapies being routinely applied, there are still a hard core of people who suffer life-long problems and life-long prejudice. This book might just be their answer. I am left feeling truly hopeful about the future and provided this research is used within an ethical framework, we can ultimately create a fairer, kinder and less judgemental world. People will be rescued from living a lifetime in an inner hell, from involuntarily acting and reacting in a way that makes them miserable. Amen also recognises that the right environments are critical for each individual to have an optimal brain. If we know our brain, we have the opportunity to be the best version of ourselves that it is possible to be -surely this is free will.

This is one of those rare books that I think EVERYONE should read. It is time that we updated our view of the world according to the most up-to-date brain research.

Advanced Digital Photography by Tom Ang
Extremely lucid explanations behind digital photo manipulations. Excellent manual for those wanting to take their digital processing beyond the average. Its good to know when a situation is best handled by film. All our lives are going increasingly digital but it is not always the best answer to every situation. A good read.