What You Can Change And What You Can't
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Phobias are moderately changeable with treatments that were bachelor when the book was written in 1996. Sexual identity is
Another Martin Seligman psychology book that simply snuck into my pile and got itself read. Dr. Seligman fairly dispassionately gives us the good news and the bad news about what psychological traits, functional and dysfunctional, are amenable to modify or are immutable for the vast majority of people, depending on how deeply these characteristics are embedded in the psyche.Phobias are moderately changeable with treatments that were available when the book was written in 1996. Sexual identity is unchangeable. Panic attacks are curable. Not being a psychologist myself, I tin't debate with his claims for these and many other specific disorders and behavior patterns, and thankfully I don't suffer from any of the ones he discusses so I can be every bit dispassionate is he is and accept him at his discussion.
But he doesn't offer the book equally a cocky-diagnosis and self-treatment transmission. Instead, his overarching goal is to make those inbound what he calls "the second season of life" enlightened of their potential growth, and which areas will be virtually acquiescent to change. The offset season of life is the season of expansion, discovering and claiming your identify in the world. He says "In the second season, your life volition exist defined not so much by the outside earth every bit by certain realities that have been coalescing inside you...You will rearrange your life to fit what you have discovered you lot are." Co-ordinate to Dr. Seligman, this second flavor begins somewhere betwixt the ages of thirty and 45 (and what with l being the new xl, I think we can safely conform his timeline to permit some filibuster inbound this second season for us tardily bloomers.)
This is the topic of the final section of the book titled "Shedding the Skins of Childhood" and for this section, I would recommend the volume to anyone who wonders if it is too belatedly to change.
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It is very well researched and referenced.
Martin Seligman challenges a lot of the perceived wisdom on depression/anxiety, habit, obesity.
His views are idea-provoking and informative.
He emphasises how important it is to be aware of our belief system around these weather. Our beliefs volition influence how nosotros rega I take simply read this volume for the second fourth dimension. I read information technology as a work consignment with the intention of exploring the ideas contained in the volume in an educational minor group setting.
It is very well researched and referenced.
Martin Seligman challenges a lot of the perceived wisdom on depression/anxiety, addiction, obesity.
His views are thought-provoking and informative.
He emphasises how important information technology is to exist aware of our conventionalities system around these weather condition. Our beliefs volition influence how nosotros regard people displaying these symptoms. This in turn, influences how nosotros treat them and how much we think nosotros tin help them or they can assistance themselves.
He defines the part that graphic symbol, enviornment and genetics play in the development of illness. He compares strategies for treatment and presents outcome studies.
The book is advertised every bit a self-help manual simply I think it very detailed for someone new to the topics. I recollect it is a very good book for wellness professionals as it addresses attitudes and treatments. Helping people who endure from these psychological conditions can be stressful for wellness professionals every bit so many treatments "neglect". This volume offers new insights into what aspects are worth addressing, what can exist helped past apecific treatments or therapies and what people may need help accepting as unchangeable.
A very worthwhile read! ...more
This book covers several things people commonly want to alter about th
Pretty interesting psychology volume. A very candid wait at what psychologists and biologists have found out virtually our changeability. Huge industries accept been erected around change, especially dieting. Every brand has its own promise for alter, which often contradicts the other brands. They don't need to exist correct to brand money, just persuasive. Then why not learn about what the science actually observed works or doesn't work?This book covers several things people commonly desire to change about themselves: anxiety, panic, phobias, obsessions, depression, anger, PTSD, sexual habits and preferences, weight, and alchoholism. This book spells out exactly what evidence exists for how child-bearing each of these are, and how constructive or promising each of the various popular therapies actually are.
Some of it is a little surprising. For example, he argues that weight is not so changeable. Dieting oft just makes it worse. He makes a expert instance, and I don't disagree with him, but I recollect his case is incomplete. He only discusses dieting as a cutting back of calories. But so, oddly, he briefly mentions some approaches that practice work somewhat: exercise, eating salubrious instead of eating less, and eating slower. This seems to contradict somewhat his premise that weight isn't all that changeable.
He besides makes an interesting case well-nigh alchoholism, namely that AA's philosophy is mostly wrong. He doesn't deny that information technology works for many, but suggests there's a confirmation bias, and so doesn't work nearly as well as people think. Furthermore, the philosophy it employs has a cost of making its adherents experience powerless (indeed, the first premise of AA is that we are powerless). All it does it supersede one dependency (alchohol) with another (theology and the AA group). For those whom alchohol has ruined their lives, this may not be a bad trade-off, but Seligman believes we can do better. Unfortunately, no one dares claiming AA's monopoly on recovery.
This book is quite worthwhile to read, simply be forewarned that it is pretty dry (pun not intended).
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I thought he succeeded beautifully. He interprets the scientific literature for the lay reader in terms we can all sympathize, and he pulls no punches when he criticizes bad communication
Marty Seligman wrote this book in 1993 as an antidote to the rash of self-aid advice that came onto the marketplace in the 1990s. His goal was to tell the public "which treatments work and which treatments neglect, which issues can exist conquered and which are intractable, which shortcomings tin be improved and which cannot."I idea he succeeded beautifully. He interprets the scientific literature for the lay reader in terms we can all sympathise, and he pulls no punches when he criticizes bad communication.
From page 244 of the hardcover version, here is the bottom line. If you desire to know how these things tin can exist changed, you'll have to read the residue of the book!
panic - curable
specific phobias - nearly curable
sexual dysfunctions - marked relief
social phobia - moderate relief
agoraphobia - moderate relief
low - moderate relief
sex function - moderate modify
OCD - moderate/mild relief
sexual preferences - moderate/mild change
acrimony - balmy/moderate relief
everyday feet - mild/moderate relief
alcoholism - mild relief
overweight - temporary modify
mail service-traumatic stress disorder - marginal relief
sexual orientation - probably unchangeable
sexual identity - unchangeable
As to the diet industry, he has nothing expert to say. He cites Oprah's struggles and temporary success with Optifast and his own on-going challenges.
Dieters: read it and weep.
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Seligman is usually upfront with you when he'south arguing his own perspective and not
I'd actually rate this more like 3.5 to 4 stars. I greatly enjoyed the whole book with the exception of a couple of chapters, but the final part on childhood put me off badly enough with it's blatant bias and cherry-picking of studies that I had to downgrade my overall rating of the book. It's too bad, because I really loved the book and was enthusiastic most it and wanting to recommend information technology to my friends until then.Seligman is usually upfront with y'all when he's arguing his ain perspective and not being unbiased, and that'southward a good thing. This book is a pretty good overview for lay people of much that was covered in my undergraduate psychology classes, and is a fun, readable introduction to how the mind works (equally many in the field today currently see it.) His style is straight only personable so the book is non at all dry out.
Overall I think this was a worthwhile read but I'm glad I stuck with a library re-create instead of purchasing it.
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Seligman is a reasonably engaged writer, but some of these chapter
Although almost certainly out-of-date, Martin Seligman's What You Tin can Change and What You Can't offers a sobering critique of human plasticity. Certain things—being transgender—are so hard-wired that no therapy or medication can motion the needle. Dieting and alcoholism tin reply to behavioral modify, but fifty-fifty when folks adopt new, healthier habits, many revert to their original status quo. Panic attacks, withal, tin be managed.Seligman is a reasonably engaged writer, only some of these chapters could be better organized. For example, the affiliate on alcoholism started with a recounting of a report that showed individuals with low evaluate reality more than clearly than those who are non depressed. I do wish this could be updated for the 21st century every bit a riposte to all the cocky-help industry that talks in slogans and guilt-tripping.
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The sections on panic disorder and on weight were both incredibly enlightening to me. The others were interesting but non every bit amazing as what I learned in those ii chapters. The sex chapter, though... it was physica
There was a lot of really skillful data in this book, but unfortunately a lot of it is dated. So much so that after reading the affiliate on sex I almost had to stop reading, and wondered whether I should disbelieve everything he had written and so far just because of how appalling information technology was.The sections on panic disorder and on weight were both incredibly enlightening to me. The others were interesting simply not as amazing as what I learned in those 2 chapters. The sexual practice affiliate, though... information technology was physically painful. As an asexual, biromantic adult female dating a transgender nonbinary person... it was extremely painful. However, I call back the information in the balance of the volume was skillful enough that I tin still give it three stars.
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I but wanted to read something to tie up any loose emotional ends on the cusp of my 28th birthday so I judge I'll stick to sometime standbys Emotional Resilience: Simple Truths for Dealing with the Unfinished Concern of Your Past and Six Pillars of Cocky-Esteem to see if I missed annihilation or agree behavior that no longer serve me.
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All the same, on page 129 he says "I believe that many children react to their parents fighting by developing a loss of security so shattering that information technology marks the beginning of a lifetime of dysphoria". He mentions how "once parents showtime fighting, these children become unbridled pessimists...years later their pessimism persists". He quotes this from a research he himself has conducted. To my mind it is too cardinal a contradiction in a volume which claims to tell you lot what you lot tin can change and what yous cannot.
I recall there are much better books that are more current and relevant. For those interested in self-help and personal change, I would specially recommend Succeed: How We Can Reach Our Goals by Heidi Grant Halvorson.
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As a thing of fact, S
My opinion wavered between liking this book and loving information technology. I hadn't read it since I offset bought information technology dorsum in leap of 1996. Equally an armchair psychology educatee, I found it a nifty overview of what approaches work to "fix" sure "problems" (not that homosexuality is a trouble, and he DOES say then). I specially felt that my own opinions of PTSD symptoms, what will set PTSD, what will set up depression, and what it takes to have accordingly adult self-esteem were validated.As a matter of fact, Seligman says that he takes on the self-esteem "move" in the last affiliate of his volume on Learned Optimism, which I have read some of, but not all of. I at present plan on reading that whole book just to see what this renowned scholar has to say about THAT.
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While some of his claims are likely to be wrong or inaccurate, most of them seem to be grounded in clear thinking and what the evidence tells usa.
I highly recommend thi
This is the all-time psychology volume for the general public that I have read. Written concisely and with illuminating examples, Seligman sticks to the empirical evidence rooted in rigorous methodology. Information technology highlights that we can alter many aspects of our lives, merely that there are other arenas in which we will face much more than difficulty.While some of his claims are likely to exist incorrect or inaccurate, most of them seem to exist grounded in clear thinking and what the evidence tells united states.
I highly recommend this book to anyone, whether y'all're a fan of the genre or not.
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I accept read that the writer's thesis about learned helplessness, unfortunately, was co-opted by military psychologists, without his permission or knowledge, to contrary engineer torture in the 21st century by the U.South. authorities.
A great tool for therapists. Makes the example for using efficacious therapeutic methods.I have read that the writer's thesis about learned helplessness, unfortunately, was co-opted past military psychologists, without his permission or knowledge, to reverse engineer torture in the 21st century by the U.South. government.
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To review this book in depth would be to reveal some very personal information, and that isn't going to happen. I'll go out information technology at this: I find Seligman to be very reasonable and intellectually honest. This volume has been very helpful to me.
To review this book in depth would be to reveal some very personal data, and that isn't going to happen. I'll leave information technology at this: I notice Seligman to be very reasonable and intellectually honest. This book has been very helpful to me.
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Seligman has written about positive psychology topics such every bit The Optimistic Child, Kid's Play, Learned Optimism, Authentic Happiness," and in 2011, "Flourish."
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