Feeling Good: Overcome Depression and Anxiety with Proven Techniques

by David D. Burns

Ever since the time of the French philosopher, René Descartes, scholars have been puzzled by the “mind-body problem.” This is the idea that as human beings we have at least two separate levels of existence—our minds and our bodies. Our minds consist of our thoughts and our feelings, which are invisible or ethereal. We know they are there because we can experience them, but we do not know why or how they exist. In contrast, our bodies consist of tissue—blood, bones, muscle, fat, and so forth. The tissue ultimately consists of molecules, and the molecules are ultimately made up of atoms. These building blocks are inert—presumably, atoms have no consciousness. So how can the inert tissue in our brains give rise to our conscious minds, which can see, feel, hear, love, and hate? According to Descartes, our minds and bodies must be connected in some manner. Descartes called the portion of the brain that links these two separate entities the “seat of the soul.” For centuries, philosophers have tried to locate the “seat of the soul.” In the modern era, neuroscientists continue this search as they attempt to figure out how our brains create emotions and conscious thoughts. The belief that our minds and bodies are separate is reflected in our treatments for problems such as depression. We have biological treatments, which work on the “body,” and psychological treatments, which work on the “mind.” Biological treatments usually involve medications, and psychological treatments usually...