First published 2025
One in five American adults lives with chronic pain that doctors struggle to explain or treat effectively. Dr. Daniel Amen, a brain expert and bestselling author, identifies what he terms "the doom loop" where physical and emotional pain feed each other through faulty brain wiring. His research shows that trauma, anxiety, and depression create genuine physical suffering, while chronic pain triggers psychological distress. Amen presents a brain-based treatment approach that moves beyond traditional methods relying heavily on medication and surgery. He examines pain-producing versus pain-soothing thought patterns, the relationship between muscle tension and trauma, and how medical treatments can calm neural pathways. The book covers how diet, exercise, meditation, and breathing techniques influence pain perception. Amen argues that treating the brain as a complete organ requiring physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual health offers better outcomes than current medical approaches.
Genres: neuroscience, brain, medical, non-fiction, health, alternative-medicine
Vibes: intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: self-improvement
480 pages · Hardcover · Harper