Reclaim Your Brain: How to Calm Your Thoughts, Heal Your Mind, and Bring Your Life Back Under Control
Written by Joseph A. Annibali, MD
Narrated by Joseph A. Annibali, MD and Daniel G. Amen, M.D.
4.5/5
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About this audiobook
A prescriptive guide to restoring cognitive calm, based on Amen Clinics chief psychiatrist Dr. Joseph Annibali's three decades of treating patients who suffer from overloaded, overstimulated brains.
Dr. Joseph Annibali has treated thousands of people with overloaded, overstimulated brains. Some people describe their brain as being "in chaos"; others feel that their brain is "on fire." But whether they are ultimately diagnosed with anxiety, disabling OCD, depression, bipolar disorder, or even substance abuse, the underlying problem is a Too-Busy Brain, a great irritant that interferes with attention, concentration, focus, mood, and often much more. It may even be a sign of undetected damage to either the brain or the body itself. But through practical strategies, understandable explanations, and prescriptive mind-management techniques, Dr. Annibali will help readers finally reclaim their brains and get back in control of their lives.
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Reviews for Reclaim Your Brain
54 ratings17 reviews
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5This was a very detailed book -- more than you would normally get from a brain science book. I didn't need all of the information right away, but will save this book in case I need it as a reference later on.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This book is a helpful slap to the forehead on some of the techniques given. We are often too busy in life that we forget to follow some of the easiest exercises for us to follow to calm, rejuvenate, etc ourselves. There is also other great in depth information for the average person to follow and understand.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This was a really interesting, well-researched book on ways people can "reclaim" their brains, whether through meditation, medication, therapy, or other various well-explained methods. Not every section applied to me personally, but the format of the book made it easy to find the sections I wanted and needed.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Comprehensive review of mental conditions, their causes and suggested options of treatment. He covers anxiety, depression, addictions, OCD, etc. When appropriate, natural supplements or behavior therapy is offered as a treatment option. My only complaint, and this is from a health professional, is that maybe some of the "why" this happens was not explained in layperson's terms. But a good reference for those interested.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Dr. Joseph Annibaili, a psychiatrist, writes with ease about the brain and our mental health. He dissects the brain (figuratively, not literally), showing lay people what happens to each area of the brain when we deal with stress, anxiety, depression and other mental health issues. Each chapter discusses a different mental health issue, each with vignettes of clients Dr. Annibaili has treated. Each chapter also has ways to deal with said mental health issue, including therapy, supplements, mediation techniques and drugs.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I was having bad days. prettymuch due to depression and adhd. I followed certain advices here and it helped me bring my mind to clarity. I am super thankful to the dr.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Loved this book, it gave me lots of positive to think about. And positive things to do. Exercises. Thank You!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5An eye opener and a very informative book ! Loved it !!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A very accessible book - easy to read, well-organized, and not judgmental to those who are under the influence of stress, anxiety, depression, ADHD (like myself), or other mental health issues. Each chapter presents an explanation, a client/patient anecdote, at least one do-it-yourself at-home exercise, and recommendations for various supplement/pharmaceutical treatments. What I hadn't seen before is the author's use of brain scan technology to diagnose physical damage (rather than purely chemical or emotional) in order to prescribe a treatment regimen for repair or management. He writes clearly (as I mentioned), and accessibly to the layperson seeking guidance for their own or a loved one. I definitely plan on trying several of his recommendations on exercises and vitamins myself.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This was a very helpful, well researched and interesting look at the ways you can stop negative and harmful thinking through various methods. Dr. Annibali offers generous examples of ways the techniques have improved the lives of various patients and offers ways for the reader to use these techniques in their lives. There was a good deal of explanation of various pharmaceuticals which really was more medical information than I needed but the writing style and description of techniques was easy to understand for a non-medical professional.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5An excellent book for dealing with anxiety, depression and ADHD. So easy to read and understand as a lay person. The doctor not only describes prescription options but including in the treatment plans are diet, exercise, nutritional supplements, the need for sleep and various kinds of therapies and coounseling. Highly recommend!
2 people found this helpful
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Although I personally would have appreciated not seeing all of the recommendations for various pharmaceuticals, I can appreciate that this book was successful in being comprehensive enough to reach different types of readers. I also didn't need the anecdotal examples of so & so's attempts at trying various techniques. What I did find really helpful were the easy to understand reflection/meditation/mindful techniques and ways to incorporate several... and by type of brain issue. I've referred to this book quite a bit since receiving as more of a ready reference rather than reading from page 1 till the end. I suspect other readers will pick & choose what's of use to them with the way information is presented in the book. I think it's great that Annibali is presenting conventional and alternative ways to see and approach the brain. You could scour the internet and be taken down unhelpful rabbit holes, and instead Annibali has used his expertise and experience to write this comprehensive guide. Plan to hold onto it and refer to it often for myself and others.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Reclaim your Brain is a very well written and researched book produced for the lay individual. Dr. Annibali has obviously put a great deal of thought into his book. I was especially interested in the chapters dealing with the overly busy brain. The one that keeps us from sleeping at night or on target in our relationships with others and our jobs. I also liked his lists of and explanations of supplements that can help with modifying the input and output of the brain. The annotated bibliography is also very good. Things that I would have liked to see: an index for specifics that would allow instant lookups; an indepth line drawing of the brain illustrating where each portion of the brain about which Dr. Annibali was referring. I think that would have been most helpful. All in all, the book is very informative, not difficult to read and very pertinent to today's individuals whether they are old or young.
2 people found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Dr. Annibali is an experienced psychiatrist at the Amen Clinics and he shares his wisdom and clinical expertise in his book, Reclaim Your Brain. In this very accessible text, Dr. Annibali evaluates a broad range of psychotherapeutic, nutritional, and psychopharmacological treatments for a variety of mental health concerns such as ADHD, depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, addiction and brain injuries. I found his chapters on narrative therapy and mindfulness quite helpful and I greatly appreciated his attempts to integrate these psychotherapeutic approaches into his care for his patients. I think this book would be very helpful for both medical professionals and patients alike.
2 people found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Although the information, case studies and treatment suggestions provided in this book for well-known mental issues, like depression or anxiety, were interesting, my favorite parts of the book were the chapters devoted to something I haven’t heard about: excess negativity and rewriting the untrue stories your brain tells you. I’m prone to negativity myself, and the categories of negative thinking described in the book (with examples to show why they’re ridiculous) really hit home. I’m going to mark these passages for later reference, because I think seeing the types of negativity so logically explained on a page in front of me where they’re “real” and hard to argue with will help me reshape my negatively-distorted mindset into a more rational, less negative perspective. The book also details how the brain sometimes makes up painful stories that are incomplete and untrue (like being convinced you were a horrible student in high school, when in reality you actually managed to get all B’s and struggled with school because you had ADHD). The book walks you through dissecting and looking at your stories critically to find the true, and most likely less negative, story.Overall, this book was easy to read and wide-ranging enough that anyone who picks it up will probably find something relevant. If nothing else, it’s worth the price of the book just for a chance to reflect on how the brain works so you can better understand yourself and others.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5This is an interesting book, although I am not sure what audience it is going for. Annibali discusses the physical regions of the brain that get out of balance in different kinds of common conditions (such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, and PTSD), then offers specific techniques to help alleviate each problem. The book is written seemingly for a lay audience, and some of the techniques are so simple they seem too good to be true. However, certain seemingly easy ideas (such as "rewriting your story") seem like things that would be much easier to do with the guidance of a professional. I know that when I get too deep into a depression, it's hard to break the cycle of negative rumination without some outside interference.My biggest issue with the book is that Annibali describes every possible therapy that could be helpful for each issue, including medications, dietary supplements, and such extreme measures as self-administered shock treatments. The problem is that, unlike most doctors, it is rather rare for him to warn his readers to seek professional help before trying these treatments out for themselves. Reading the book, I could easily develop a case of psychological hypochondria, seeing elements of myself in each chapter, and I think a lot of the author's advice could easily be misused or overused without a doctor's help.This does, however, seem like a great resource for professionals who may have less experience in some of these areas or for general practitioners or counselors who have to refer clients for more specific assistance. The language is simple enough that they could clearly share the relevant information with their patients. As a book for every reader, however, I am not sure this book might not cause just as much harm as help.
2 people found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I received a copy of this book from LibraryThing's Early Reviewers.I really liked this book about how to quiet a busy brain. The author explains what is going on in the different parts of the brain when people experience issues such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, etc. I like reading science and medical type books, so this appealed to me. The author then goes on to give self-help techniques to try as well as vitamins/supplements and diet/exercise changes that may help. He also covers prescriptions medicine, but I really liked the drug-free options. If you've thought about going to a therapist but can't afford it or don't think it's for you, this may be a good book to read to get some ideas on how to help yourself. The author goes into enough detail that you can do his exercises on your own.
2 people found this helpful