In this interview, Dr. Jeffrey Schwartz discusses obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and his new book You Are Not Your Brain: The 4-Step Solution for Changing Bad Habits, Ending Unhealthy Thinking, and Taking Control of Your Life. In the book, he and co-author Dr. Rebecca Gladding show readers how they can apply the 4 steps for OCD treatment to other conditions, habits, and symptoms, such as overeating, procrastination, and excessive drinking. Click for previous post about the book.
Topics of the interview, in addition to the 4 steps, include: overuse of drugs and the alternative of using one's capacity to direct attention for treating conditions, the empowerment of a person's will to change his or her brain, the role of mindful awareness, consultation with one's inner wise advocate, and Leonardo DiCaprio's development of OCD in the filming of The Aviator. The interview begins with a clip of Jeff's address to the United Nations about the challenges faced by non-materialists.
Jeff wrote his book Dear Patrick: Life is Tough - Here's Some Good Advice with Annie Gottlieb. Here is what she says on her blog about this interview of Jeff:
My fascinating friend Dr. Jeffrey Schwartz — very serious, ebullient and funny — may be doing some of the most important thinking and discovering on the planet. You Are Not Your Brain is the title of his next book, coming out in June. This long video is completely enthralling to me. It’s about basic stuff like mood, addictions, and overeating, and how much choice and control we actually have.
Click to read the rest of Gottlieb's post. Click to watch the interview of Jeff. Click to pre-order You Are Not Your Brain: The 4-Step Solution for Changing Bad Habits, Ending Unhealthy Thinking, and Taking Control of Your Life.
Note (added January 4, 2011): Click to read a news release about You Are Not Your Brain.
