Title
Can't just stop : an investigation of compulsions / Sharon Begley.
Edition
First Simon & Schuster hardcover edition.
ISBN
9781476725826 (hardcover)
1476725829 (hardcover)
Published
New York : Simon & Schuster, 2017.
Language
English
Description
vi, 296 pages ; 24 cm
Call Number
RC533 .B446 2017
Dewey Decimal Classification
616.85/227
616.8584
Summary
Examines the science behind both mild and extreme compulsive behavior, using case studies to understand its deeper meaning and reveal the truth about human compulsion.
"Mild compulsions, such as shopping with military precision or hanging the tea towels just so, are something most of us have witnessed, or even engaged in. But compulsions exist along a broad continuum, and at the extremes there exist life-altering disorders. Sharon Begley's meticulously researched book is the first to examine all of these behaviors together--from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) to hoarding, to compulsive exercise, even compulsions to do good. They may look profoundly different, but these behaviors are all ways of coping with varying degrees of anxiety. With a focus on the personal stories of dozens of interviewees, Begley compassionately explores the role of compulsion in our fast-paced culture and the strange manifestations of this very human behavior throughout history. Can't Just Stop makes compulsion comprehensible and accessible, exploring how we can realistically grapple with it in ourselves and in those we love."--Dust jacket.
Bibliography, etc. Note
Includes bibliographical references and index.
What is a compulsion?
Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or, Is Fred in the refrigerator?
With treatment, from blood in a snowbank to Hollywood
In the shadow of OCD : carrying conscientiousness too far
Video games
Smartphones and the Web
Compulsions past
Compulsive hoarding
Compulsive acquiring, or I'll take two
Compelled to do good
The compulsive brain.