Using Neuroscience to Reverse the Course of Depression

This book is a fantastic starting point for anyone who needs to take a beginning perspective at what exactly depression and anxiety really is in the brain. As a depression sufferer, this book helped me a great deal. I highly recommend it.

This practical approach to combatting depression through small steps backed by neuroscience made me think of deadpan comedian Steven Wright’s bit about his girlfriend who somehow got poison ivy on the brain, and the only way she could scratch it was to think about sandpaper.

Having a tendency toward depressive/critical/negative thinking makes it tricky to buy into some of the platitudes people dash off as advice for dealing with it, which can make a person feel even more isolated. This book hits the sweet spot of being helpful and encouraging while explaining the science behind the complex factors that can make the pull of the depressive spiral so difficult to escape. The process of thinking about how habits and small actions can set off subtle changes in brain chemistry to me is akin to recalling the joke about sandpaper: Somehow the memory of the absurd idea, the understated delivery, the ridiculous image, and the fact that it is a clever joke about thinking and the brain all come together in a deceptively simple moment—a laugh—that can help illuminate the alternate path toward the upward spiral.

The book is well-laid out and easy to understand. The first part focuses on the brain systems involved in depression. The second part of the book describes habits and behaviors to manage depression (being grateful, setting goals, exercising, getting sleep, being social, medication, therapy, etc.) and describes the science for why these changes are effective at managing depression. There's a nice combination of scientific studies and personal anecdotes.

This book presents very technical information in a way that is easy for a lay person to understand. The author also presents practical recommendations for persons who suffer from depression. I highly recommend this book.

I enjoyed how in the beginning you learn about what a downward spiral is; so at the end of the book you learn how that connects to the upward spiral. I learned how it only takes one person to help you back in the right direction; or even a group in a social setting. If you don't like groups, the book had a suggestion to go out and run, I even visioned myself sitting in a (coffee shop, library, etc) I really enjoyed all the different examples. I understand how valuable gratitude is in life. Thanks book.

As a health care worker with a strong genetic tendency towards depression (mother had ECT, sister and father bipolar, other sister has major depression) this book helped me to better understand not only the how's and why's of depression but provides many simple tools that are evidence based to not only help me but those around me to combat depression. I sent the book to two of my friends.

This was recommended to me by a counselor. I tend to analyze information and take time to process. This book was written for the counseling professional in mind but it's understandable by the general population. It takes the time to explain the physiological whys of chemical response and then takes the time to explain the way up.

This book: The Upward Spiral: Using Neuroscience to Reverse the Course of Depression, One Small Change at a Time is a very helpful, accurate source for slow change. I am writing this review for several other people who have read or who are reading it. I didn't get as much from it as they did... but it was so beneficial to them I wanted to add that others might benefit as well. So, I consider the purchase worth it.

Great read for those with depression or anyone who knows someone with depression. (that should be everyone) For those lucky enough to escape depression it has info on why we do f our addictive or other non productive behavior. Read it and re read it.

This helped me to understand better the whole subject of neuroscience and to offer encouragement to a family member who until now saw depression more as a "downward spiral." Thank you, Alex Korb for this life-changing work!

Still listening. So far finding content very interesting, and to the point. Wish would add dl of brain anatomy so can track the many references to brain areas. Would like reader better if pace was slightly faster, maybe slowing when talking about specific terms or brain regions. Gets monotonous sometimes IMHO. Voice tone is pleasant. CD was delivered as promised and arrived in great condition.

A brilliant review of recent brain science findings, conveyed in digestible, even entertaining prose, and coupled with common-sense, doable steps anyone can take to reverse the downward spiral of negative emotions into an upward trajectory leading to emotional well-being. An important contribution! Many thanks!

AMAZING. I have two graduate degrees in School Psychology and have 200 hours of training as a yoga teacher. I teach stress management classes and absorb any and all information like this that I can get my hands on. This book truly stands out! I have read so many personal growth books that I don't typically get the feeling that a book is life changing. They usually just add tips to my schema of information, however this one is truly a game changer. I am thrilled I bought it!

Dr. Korb's book was extremely helpful and fascinating. It's a rare book that combines cutting edge science with everyday wisdom. Many of the sections served as a useful mirror for how I can improve my own life.

I first discovered this author from articles he has published on the Internet and I found his writing style very easy to follow, particularly given his neuroscience background. In recent years I have look at a lot of theories on how and why depression kicks in, particularly the types of low motivation, low energy, low happiness depression that seem very common in various degrees. I got this book and will begin my second reading soon, primarily to solidify some of the more technical relationships it contains, but just in reading it fairly quickly the first time through I find many ideas not only interesting, but useful. The presentation is deceptive in that it almost seems like common sense, and it almost seems like everything contained within has been hashed out somewhere else (i.e. "I read that somewhere", or "I thought it was something like that"), but by relating it to specific brain functions and areas I found that the various concepts were easier to visualize or internalize, and that is really the power of a book like this. The point is that you cannot change your brain until you recognize there is something to change, and while this book doesn't give you a sure-fire way of doing this, it sure gives you a lot of useful ideas, and for myself I have already put them into practice and found some success in getting control of some of my worst habit loops (downward spirals). Another book I liked a lot, The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg, covers some of the same ground, but without the direct explanations that The Upward Spiral Provides. At any rate, this book is very reasonably priced, a pretty easy read (as long as you don't try to memorize it all in the first reading) and can provide some really great insights and clarity into the mystery of how the mind works (or doesn't work at times).

Well written, very specific but easy to follow, lots of examples; author has a unique ability to share neuroscience in a way that is understandable and relevant to the lay person. Just as a great coach shares how and why, not just "what" to do on the field, the author shares the how and why with "what" to do if you find yourself trying to beat depression.

This chipper little book maybe all you need to fight the blues. It is a general survey with tips and feels very much like an extended Oprah magazine article.

Those interested in help for PTSD or any serious depression should consider this, at best, a supplement. A better book would be "The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma" by Bessel van der Kolk M.D.

Through trial-and-error, I've learned techniques that work for me to escape depression spirals: including exercise, sunlight, quitting bad habits and thinking about positive interactions and events rather than dwelling on negatives. In "The Upward Spiral," Dr. Korb explains the neuroscience behind why these actions and many others work. I wrote "Suicide Escape" to share with teens and others the lessons I have learned since depression took me to the edge of suicide. I wish this book had existed during my worst years, but I'm certainly glad it's out there today, providing insights into other techniques to build toward and/or remain in a healthy mental state. I strongly recommend it to other depression sufferers, and to the people who love and care for them.

Thank you! A truly contemporary approach and much needed addition to the literature addressing depression treatment. So much is changing in the mental health profession. Even though it's odd to say, it really is a good time to be anxious or depressed. With pharmacogenetics and streamlining theoretical orientations into less complicated, research-supported treatments. Therapist have so many tools to help and coach patients.

I really wanted Dr. Korb to validate a non-medication approach to mild and moderate depression. But I know each person's situation is so unique and personal that it would be irresponsible to make that claim. He isn't direct, but yet, didn't discuss it until page 179- so, well, that's something.

This book is extremely empowering and highly recommended for overall wellness and depression treatment. Take your healing into your own hands. Make it a journey for long-lasting change. Brilliant and courageous book.

Based on the latest findings in neuroscience, this book describes how small life changes can improve the activities of our neurotransmitter systems and thus ourselves. In general, sunlight, think of happy memories, make decisions, good sleep, exercise all help much. It is so well researched, organized and written that even laymen will find it readable and helpful. In short, highly recommended!

p.s. Below please find some favorite passages of mine for your reference.

Serotonin – improves willpower, motivation, and mood
Norepinephrine – enhances thinking, focus and dealing with stress
Dopamine – increases enjoyment and is necessary for changing bad habits
Oxytocin – promotes feelings of trust, love, and connection , and reduces anxiety
GABA – increases feelings of relaxation and reduces anxiety
Melatonin – enhances the quality of sleep
Endorphins – provide pain relief and feelings of elation
Endocannabinoids – improve your appetite and increase feelings of peacefulness and well-being pg15

Anxiety and worrying are provoked by possibility, not certainty. In fact, many people are less happy when they have more choices, because they have more to worry about. When everything is up in the ari, the amygdala becomes more reactive. So if you tend to worry, reduce your options and make quick decisions whenever possible. As soon as you make a decision, however small, everything starts to feel more manageable. Pg36
When I was planning the steps to make dinner, I was engaging communication between the prefrontal cortex and the limbic system. My prefrontal cortex was running through possible simulations of the future and then interrogating the limbic system to see how I’d feel about it. The first time, when I was calm and just planning steps for making dinner, my prefrontal cortex had no problem sifting and organizing all the information. But then I had a brief thought – what if I don’t get everything done on time? – and that led me from decisive planning to getting stuck in a worry loop and spiraling even further down toward anxiety….when the limbic system is overactive, it’s like turning up the volume of your negative emotions. At that point, simple planning becomes more difficult, because the normal frontal-limbic communication becomes overwhelmed by the limbic system’s shouting. When you’re in a negative mood, almost all outcomes that your prefrontal cortex can calculate are tinged with a bit of negativity. Any choice you make feels like it’s going to lead you down the wrong path, and you quickly become inaudated with all of the bad things that could happen to you. Pg37

A hug, especially a long one, release oxytocin, which reduces the reactivity of the amygdala. During actual painful stimulation, people with depression had greater increases in amygdala activity than nondepressed people. Their brains had a more emotional response to the pain,. And the more helpless they felt, the greater the brain’s emotional response. Furthermore, they had decreased activation in the region of the brainstem that produces painkilling endorphins, so their brains did not try to suppress the pain as much. Pg57

If you were a cavemen, your impulses wouldn’t be such a problem. Life would be pretty simple. If something tastes good, you eat as much as possible, and if something feels good, you do it as much as possible. Nowadays, though, there are too many easily obtainable pleasures, which hijack dopamine in the nucleus accumbens and create a tendency to act for immediate gratification. It becomes even more problematic in depression, because there’s less dopamine activity in the nucleus accumbens. First, that means things that used to be enjoyable no longer are. Second, with reduced dopamine activity, the only things that motivate the nucleus accumbens are things that releases lots of dopamine, such as junk food, drugs, gambling, and porn. All these impulses means your actions are guided only by what’s most immediately pleasurable, which is not usually good for you in the long term. And while most impulses are easy to recognize, the most insidious bad habits are often routines. Pg67
Habits are formed because every action activates a specific pattern in the dorsal striatum. Each time you follow the same path, it becomes more and more defined in your brain. The neurons in the dorsal striatum are wired together more strongly…….You don’t actually eliminate old habits – they just get weaker as you create newer, stronger ones. Furthermore, once habits are in the dorsal striatum, they no longer care about pleasure. Sure, they usually get in there because your nucleus accumbens is motivating you to do something, but once a habit is really engrained, it no longer requires the nucleus accumbens to motivate it. That’s also how addictions work…..The dorsal striatum doesn’t care about what you want. It just cares about following paths that you’ve already carved out. Understanding the paths your brain follows is a key step to change. Pg68

Exercise before you reward yourself. Pg85

Sitting is the new smoking. Pg89

To help reduce irrelevant details in your life, focus on what’s really important to you. Studies have found that focusing on your values reduces the brain’s stress response. Pg98

Decide for something you want, not against something you don’t want….Actively choosing caused changes in attention circuits and in how the participants felt about the action, and it increased rewarding dopamine activity. Pg100

Informative, easy-reading, and quietly hilarious, what makes Korb's book stand out is its tone and science.

We all know splashing cold water on our face can feel good, but did you know it's because the vagus nerve is indirectly stimulated to slow down the heart, inducing calm? I didn't. Korb explains this and other familiar phenomena in just enough scientific and anatomical detail that the layperson doesn't get lost. I like getting a glimpse of the actual neuroscience and architecture....the how and why of the inner workings of our brain and how it gets itself....and our overall mental health...from point A to point B.

Unlike any self-help book I've read or heard about, it's thorough, practical information presented in an impressively straightforward and conversational format, free of condescension and presumption. You come out the other side armed with knowledge and the inspiration that within all of us lies our own invincible summer.

A highly enjoyable book with a good introduction on the various physical regions of the brain, their interactions with each other, and their contribution to the overall functioning of both the brain and the possessor of the brain.

Recent progresses in Neural Networking, where the NeuNet self-learns with given outcomes, has whetted my interest in the brain, particularly, the human brain.

Recently, I read three books on the brain and depression.

Prof. Benjamin Kramer wrote in his book, Brain Renovation, page 32, this statement, "...the left prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain implicated in positive emotion..."

He also wrote on the same page of the same book, the statement, "... On the flip side, depressed and anxious people often show a much more active right side, the part involved in negative emotion..."

But the book by Dr. Kramer lacks references to original research data and also his affiliations, contact details and email-Id. The book appeared to me as a case of 'Hit & Run', stating some facts but neither elaborating nor quoting references. This is not a method adopted by the practitioners of science.

The book by Dr. Chris Niebauer, 'The Neurotic's guide to avoiding enlightenment', draws our attention to the fact that in 1960s Dr. Michael Gazzaniga carried out experiments of surgically disconnected Corpus Callosum, leaving each side of the brain independent from the other.

It was found that the left half of the brain created a fictitious but plausible theory for what's going on, even in normal people, even when it isn't the correct interpretation.

It appears that the left brain creates interpretations, and thus creates conflicts...

Prof. Niebauer then throughout his book advises against listening to left brain chatter.

I also read the present book, The Upward Spiral, by Dr. Alex Korb, Ph.D., Neuropsychiatry research scientist, Department of Psychiatry, UCLA. It appears from Dr. Korb's book that if the left-brain is potent/trained enough, it can help us (i.e., me included) find stability, rather than creating problems for us.

There appears to be a conflict between the books. I chose to ignore the information contained in the 'Brain Renovation' book, because neither the statements in the book are supported by references, nor is the author available for elaboration. The conflict needs to be resolved based on research data and outcomes.

The author has admittedly had a couple of close encounters with depression with/without medical intervention. Hence, it is natural that existential queries that might lead to another bout of depression would be religiously avoided by the author. Also, suggestions from the author would reflect the same attitude of steadfast avoidance of such existential queries. I have ordered three more books from the store to resolve the conflicts, move forward and know more about the greatest puzzle of all time. The matter interests me a great deal.

This book explains natural, easy tips that can boost your happiness and help you climb out of a depression.

Pros: Great examples throughout the book. I love all the little grey boxes with quick tips. Great scientific studies are cited. It really helped me to look at common behaviors and activities and understand how they would help my brain (ex. exercising, gratitude journal). I see things differently. For example, before I read the book I thought getting massages were a waste of money. Now I see the benefit of touch. Anything is worth getting my brain to not be depressed.

Cons: The short book took me forever to read because of all the scientific words. I wish the author could have dumbed it down a little. Every couple paragraphs he would use 10 words I couldn't remember. Mostly differently areas of the brain.

Overall, this book really did change my life and helped me with my mental health.