Brain Lock, Twentieth Anniversary Edition

“This book will make a world of difference in the lives of people with OCD.” — Eric Hollander, M.D., Compulsive, Impulsive & Anxiety Disorders Program, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine The definitive classic that has helped more than 400,000 people defeat obsessive-compulsive behavior, with all-new material from the author An estimated 5 million Americans suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and live diminished lives in which they are compelled to obsess about intrusive thoughts or to repeat a similar task over and over. Traditionally, OCD has been treated with Prozac or similar drugs. The problem with medication, aside from its cost, is that 30 percent of people treated don't respond to it, and when the pills stop, the symptoms invariably return. In Brain Lock, Jeffrey M. Schwartz, M.D., presents a simple four-step method for overcoming OCD, a powerful form of cognitive behavioral therapy that is so effective, it's now used in academic treatment centers throughout the world. Proven by brain-imaging tests to actually alter the brain's chemistry, this method doesn't rely on psychopharmaceuticals. Instead, patients use cognitive self-therapy and behavior modification to develop new patterns of response to their obsessions. In essence, they use the mind to fix the brain. Using the real-life stories of actual patients, this revolutionary self-help guide explains the method and provides readers with the inspiration and tools to free themselves from their psychic prisons and regain control of their lives. Based on Dr. Schwartz’s groundbreaking research, this compassionate self-help guide provides a drug-free program for taking back control: A Proven Four-Step Method: Learn to Relabel, Reattribute, Refocus, and Revalue obsessive thoughts and urges, breaking the cycle of compulsive behaviors. Self-Directed Neuroplasticity: Understand the science showing how you can use your mind to fix your brain, verifiably altering your brain chemistry through focused action. Effective Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Use cognitive self-therapy and behavior modification to develop new, healthy patterns of response to intrusive thoughts and anxieties. Real-Life Inspiration: Find powerful motivation in the real-life stories of actual patients who have used this revolutionary method to free themselves from their psychic prisons.