Healing the Angry Brain by Potter-Efron, Ronald -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Contents Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Brain Basics

Basic Brain Anatomy Neurons and Synapses Neurotransmitters The Role of the Limbic System Summary

2. The Emotional Brain

What Is an Emotion? Why Do We Have Emotions? The Six Stages of Emotional Processing Well-Handled Emotions Poorly Handled Emotions Summary

3. The Angry Brain

Cats, Rats, and Humans Predatory vs. Defensive Aggression Types of Defensive Aggression Switching On Defensive Aggression Switching Off Defensive and Predatory Aggression The Six Stages of Well-Handled Anger The Six Stages of Poorly Handled Anger Summary

4. The Causes of an Angry Brain

The Anger Superhighway Nobody Has a Perfect Brain Factors That May Cause an Angry Brain Summary

5. You Can Change Your Brain

Neuroplasticity Use It or Lose It Neurons That Fire Together Wire Together How to Change Your Brain An Example of Neuroplasticity in Action Summary

6. Recognizing Unconscious Anger Activation

The Brain’s Anger Pathways Activation, Modulation, and the Amygdala Defensive Anger Triggers The Unconsciously Controlled Brain Summary

7. Avoiding Conscious Bad Choices

Decisions, Decisions The Prefrontal Cortex A Less-Than-Perfect Prefrontal Cortex How the Brain Makes Decisions Angry Thinking Is Bad Thinking Summary

8. Developing Empathy

Empathy Anger Disrupts Empathy Angry People Receive Little Empathy Forgiveness Summary A Final Comment

Further Study Medications That May Help with Anger

Antidepressants Psychostimulants Mood Stabilizers Anticonvulsants Antianxiety Agents Antipsychotics Sleep Medications Summary

References