I Can't Stop. Where Obsessive States Come From and How to Get Rid of Them

Modern people know about obsessive states firsthand. How often do we literally can't stop, frantically checking messages on our smartphones, trying to pass a level in a video game, or buying things we have no place to put? But where is the line between normalcy and pathology, and most importantly, when is determination and obsession a path to creativity and success, and when is it a fruitless and dangerous waste of effort and time? In this book, the author discusses the history of studying the issue, how obsessive behavior differs from addiction, and how the 'compulsive brain' works. The relevance of the problem, conversations with leading specialists in obsessive behavior, and the fates of real patients make this book equally informative and engaging.