Lifting Depression: A Neuroscientist's Hands-On Approach to Activating Your Brain's Healing PowerToday's young adults are up to ten times more likely to experience depression than their grandparents were. Could it be that in our increasingly automated world, the reduced physical effort needed to accomplish anything may somehow interfere with our level of happiness and subsequent responses to stress? Neuroscientist Kelly Lambert finds compelling evidence that having to work hard for rewards significantly improves mood and prevents depression. Beginning with her innovative research on rats-she compared "trust-fund rats" (whose rewards came with no effort on their part) to hard-working "trained-to-succeed" rodents-Lambert offers hope of treatment for people without debilitating (and often ineffective) drugs. Drawing on a wealth of information from the fields of anthropology, neuroscience, and evolutionary psychology, Lambert develops a unique theory suggesting that physical effort directed toward tangible outcomes activates particular regions of the brain and builds resilience against the emotional emptiness and negative thinking associated with depression. Whereas most therapies emphasize the importance of mental activity, Lambert reminds us of the importance of physical activity in establishing control in a fast-paced culture that is focused more on the prospect of immediate gratification than savoring the fruits of our labor. |
Contents
Chapter | |
Use | |
THE MOMENT OFTRUTH LESSONS FROM CALVINAND HOBBES Chapter 4 Giving the Braina Hand | |
CopingEffectively with Stress | |
Our SocialBrains CAN WETALK? JUST A CALL AWAY | |
TheBuilding BlocksofResilience ENHANCINGRESILIENCE WITH MENTAL VACCINATIONS | |
Other editions - View all
Lifting Depression: A Neuroscientist's Hands-On Approach to Activating Your ... Kelly Lambert No preview available - 2010 |
Common terms and phrases
ability accumbens activity actually altered American animals antidepressants anxiety approach areas associated become behavioral body brain build challenges changes chronic cognitive communication complex conducted connections considered coping coping strategies cortex course depression described develop disorder drug effective effort effortÂdriven rewards effortÂdriven rewards circuit emotional engage enhanced environment et al evidence exercise experience feel functions grooming hands hormones humans important increased interactions inthe involved Journal known lead learned less levels lifestyle lives maintaining meaningful Medical mental health motivation motor movement natural neurochemical neurons Neuroscience ofthe patients percent person physical play pleasure positive prefrontal processes produce Psychology rates rats received recent reduced reported require resilience response Retrieved role Science serotonin situation social strategies stress suggests symptoms taking talk tasks therapeutic therapy thought tothe treat treatment understand University women York