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You Are Not Your Brain: The 4-Step Solution for Changing Bad Habits, Ending Unhealthy Thinking, and Taking Control of Your Life
Two neuroscience experts explain how their four-step method can help break destructive thoughts and actions and change bad habits for good.
A leading neuroplasticity researcher and the coauthor of the groundbreaking books Brain Lock and The Mind and the Brain, Jeffrey M. Schwartz has spent his career studying the structure and neuronal firing patterns of the human brain. He
...moreMP3 Book, 0 pages
Published
May 19th 2011
by Tantor Media, Inc.
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I will tell you that the reason I picked this book to review is because I have a very unhealthy way of thinking when it comes to diet and exercise. I am extremely good at talking myself out of good behaviors and convincing myself that the bad behaviors are not only more fun and awesome, but will be better for me later on. Despite the fact thunder thighs are not my friend.
Basically everything in the book comes down to four steps:
Step 1: Relabel: Identify your deceptive brain messages and the un...more
Basically everything in the book comes down to four steps:
Step 1: Relabel: Identify your deceptive brain messages and the un...more
I've been on a neurology kick, and picked this up at the library based on the credentials of the author. I thought it would not be a typical self-help book, even though the cover sure looked like one. I should have turned it over and noticed that one of the blurbs on the back was from Leonardo DiCaprio, noted neurology researcher movie actor.
I guess that was a good example of a deceptive brain message, because this is a self-help manual with all the smarmy examples one might imagine. Abby thinks...more
I guess that was a good example of a deceptive brain message, because this is a self-help manual with all the smarmy examples one might imagine. Abby thinks...more
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
You Are Not Your Brain
Bad Habits? I definitely have more than enough of those. Unhealthy thinking? Unfortunately, yes. I struggle with that, too.
Sometimes I wonder why I can't control my actions as well as I would like. Self-discipline and moderation have always been a little elusive to me. I have my moments, but I also have my moments, if you know what I mean. It seems like sheer willpower should be enough to break bad habits and establish the ones that my heart really w...more
Jun 26, 2011
Farrah
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
book-reviews,
my-books
You Are Not Your Brain is a book that teaches the reader how to recognize deceptive brain messages and how to change their relationship with those messages. The book could be a source of empowerment to an individual following the 4-steps (relabel, reframe, refocus, and revalue) because it tells them they have it in them to be capable of whatever it is they are facing. Those who’ve experienced stress and the feeling of being overwhelmed will be able to take something away from the book and it’s 4...more
I'm not crazy for the gimicky title and much of the material has been in other books but it's the overall content of this book, the message and the concrete help the author offers that I'm loving. It's the neurobiological how-to of inner-bonding (Margaret Paul's Inner Child healing process) that I am always trying to distill for myself and other people. This book illuminates how to differentiate between the wounded part of us, what Schwartz calls "deceptive brain messages" versus the loving adul...more
The beginning of the book is engaging, the further into the book I read the harder it was to read. It is a do it yourself psychology book that integrates cognitive-behavioral with the new brain science and mindfulness giving four steps to work with many stuck patterns typical of OCD, or a way to rid ourselves of unhealthy habits that are wired into our brains. The concept is simple, the process to rewire challenging and I think better to do with a live counselor than with a book.
The explanation...more
The explanation...more
You Are Not Your Brain is a wonderfully written self-help book by two prominent neuroscience researchers. Many years of research have culminated in their theory to help people stop listening to the deceptive messages produced by their own brains and become the person they want to be instead.
Do you have any bad habits that you wish you could just stop doing? These include excessive worrying or anxiety, eating or drinking to cope with stress, caring too much about what other people think, and mor...more
Do you have any bad habits that you wish you could just stop doing? These include excessive worrying or anxiety, eating or drinking to cope with stress, caring too much about what other people think, and mor...more
We all have habits, or other things about ourselves that we would like to change. Whether it is eating too many coffee shop muffins, checking your email fifty times a day, buying too many books (clears throat), or something more serious like alcohol addiction or depression. I know I have plenty of habits I would like to change. In fact, I've struggled with my weight my whole life, and I've been on every imaginable diet. One thing I haven't ever tried is reading a self-help book, but when I read...more
Sep 02, 2012
Jason
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
improvement,
brain-food
You Are Not Your Brain is a DIY psychology book that integrates cognitive-behavioral with recent brain science findings and mindfulness.
I found it less readable or impressive than Emotional Life of the Brain by Richard Davidson or Emotional Chaos to Clarity by Phillip Moffitt.
Basically, I was put off by the defining of "...the amygdala, insula, and anterior cingulate as the warning center of the brain, or what we like to call the Uh-Oh Center." The author's appeals to neuroscience are totally un...more
I found it less readable or impressive than Emotional Life of the Brain by Richard Davidson or Emotional Chaos to Clarity by Phillip Moffitt.
Basically, I was put off by the defining of "...the amygdala, insula, and anterior cingulate as the warning center of the brain, or what we like to call the Uh-Oh Center." The author's appeals to neuroscience are totally un...more
I love cognitive psychology. I know that sounds a bit strange from someone who makes her living off of her intuition, but I really do love the science behind how we behave. When someone, or in this case, someones come along and explain this behaviour in layman’s terms, I am thrilled.
Shwartz and Gladding do just that. They take the complex science behind how our brain is wired, and make it easy to understand. They explain how we can get trapped in a vicious cycle of bad habits because of this wir...more
Shwartz and Gladding do just that. They take the complex science behind how our brain is wired, and make it easy to understand. They explain how we can get trapped in a vicious cycle of bad habits because of this wir...more
If you put aside the excess wordiness and repetitiveness of the author there is a good gem of an idea underneath.(I would have rated it higher if the writing was clearer.)
Being able to see that your thoughts (your brain) are not actually who you are can be an extremely eye-opening experience (akin to mindful meditation in my mind). The fact that the writer offers hope and simple ways to see these negative thoughts/behaviours as old patterns and be able to start to change them is great.
If you sc...more
Being able to see that your thoughts (your brain) are not actually who you are can be an extremely eye-opening experience (akin to mindful meditation in my mind). The fact that the writer offers hope and simple ways to see these negative thoughts/behaviours as old patterns and be able to start to change them is great.
If you sc...more
At first, I thought this was another bland book about changing habits. I had been disappointed with the ever popular book The Power of Habit and figured this was something similar. Luckily for me, it was not. What is missing from most books is a plan. One can talk all day about neuroplasticity, but unless I have a road map, nothing is going to change. A road-map is exactly what the book gave me.
Although I was interested in breaking a soda habit, one could also use it to cope with depression, an...more
Although I was interested in breaking a soda habit, one could also use it to cope with depression, an...more
I don't even think I've made it to chapter two yet, and already I feel the need to pontificate. Not a good sign.
Never mind the deadly earnest tone of the audiobook narrator, I wanted to quibble with the author before I even started to listen. As a matter of fact, I *am* my brain. If you don't believe me, have yours surgically removed, then get back to me.
The author has cast the brain in the role of enemy. I kid you not-- your devious, nasty brain is the cause of all your problems. Who's the hero...more
Never mind the deadly earnest tone of the audiobook narrator, I wanted to quibble with the author before I even started to listen. As a matter of fact, I *am* my brain. If you don't believe me, have yours surgically removed, then get back to me.
The author has cast the brain in the role of enemy. I kid you not-- your devious, nasty brain is the cause of all your problems. Who's the hero...more
Very clear, practical tips for overcoming negative thinking habits, understanding why you respond the way you do, and changing your behavior. Includes real case studies of individuals with an assortment of different issues and actions they took to become more aware of their own needs and how to care for themselves versus depending on others for validation all the time. Highly recommend.
Although quite wordy and repetitive, there does seem to be a good framework at the core of this system for "changing bad habits, ending unhealthy thinking, and taking control of your life." I'll have to see how do-able the steps are in my own life. I certainly would like to see improvement!
Great read for do-it-yourself life coaching. Once you realize your brain is continuously sending you messages for all the wrong reasons (e.g., habits), you are able to readjust those destructive thoughts by calling on the mind for reconstructing the reality and presenting healthier responses. Interesting theory but will take some practice in awareness and differentiation to fully implement. However, I found the approach very valuable and refreshing.
I read a synopsis of this book in a magazine, which was really interesting. However, it turned out to be a self-help book which turned me off by immediately introducing an internal "wise advocate". I'm marking this "read" so I don't try to pick it up again.
The brain science behind making effective behavioral changes. OK enough read...but the challenge comes from integrating the book contents on one's own. Probably a better read for professional coaching community than lay reader.
Not a book for people wanting to learn about the brain, but for people who struggle with OCD, anxiety, and depression, you will find this book a powerful tool.
The authors do a very good job of explaining their research to laypeople, and their work makes a lot of sense. There isn't necessarily anything earth-shattering, I don't think, but they do offer some good strategies for dealing with bad thoughts and strengthening positive thinking. Of course, as with any self-help book, their plan won't single-handedly revolutionize the mind of someone with a serious mental problem, but it probably can help people with mild anxiety or compulsive behavior, and it...more
This is a book that needed a better editor, it became absurdly repetitive. It was hard to finish.
I would find it difficult to follow the 4 steps suggested in this book without years of therapy. However, I do like the "labels" placed on areas of the brain and mental habits reviewed in this book. I would rate it on the higher end of self-help books.
mind altering.
I was riveted from the first few pages. Really? My brain can be at fault for my actions? I was very skeptical though because I can almost imagine other people referring to their brains as the "culprit" of why they are the way they are. Still, it has a lot to offer, maybe if taken with a grain of salt. Still a worthwhile read, just for the opportunity to combat those pesky negative feelings and inhibitions that are nothing more than your brain telling you and you acting on it. Right, brain?
If you are doing inner work, this book is a must read. Seeing the prison is paramount if you hope to escape.
Explains why we make bad choices, why we ruminate and obsess about erroneous thoughts about ourselves and how to use a 4-Step Process to stop the "looping" and short-circuit the fallacious thoughts.
This is a pretty good book that has a lot if good ideas. Sometimes you know something and you just need to be reminded. If you are dealing with depression or anxiety this is a great book.
Best book I've ever read for dealing with the annoying ruminations that accompany the mid-life crisis.
It is more of a self help book but has some interesting point of views.
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M.D.,
Research Psychiatrist,
Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences,
University of California, Los Angeles
More about Jeffrey M. Schwartz...
Research Psychiatrist,
Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences,
University of California, Los Angeles
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Sep 04, 2012 06:58am