What You Can Change and What You Can't: The Complete Guide to Successful Self-Improvementlearning to Accept Who You Are (Fawcett Book)

True or false?

* Dieting down to your "ideal" weight will prolong your life.

* Reliving childhood trauma can undo adult personality problems.

* Alcoholics have addictive personalities.

* Psychoanalysis helps cure anxiety.

If you think any of these statements are true, get rready for a shock. In the climate of self-improvement that has reigned for the last twenty years, misinformation about treatments for everything from alcohol abuse to sexual dysfunction has flourished. Those of us trying to change these conditions often experience the frustration of failure, mixed success, or success followed by a relapse. But have you ever asked yourself: can my condition really be changed? And if so, am I going about it in the most effective way?

In this meticulously researched book, Martin Seligman, distinguished psychologist and bestselling author of LEARNED OPTIMISM, helps us realize clearly and realistically exactly what we can change and what we can't. Grounding his conclusions in the most recent and most authoritative scientific studies, Seligman pinpoints the techniques and therapies that work best for each condition, explains why they work, and discusses how you can use them to change your life. Inside, you'll discover:

* The four natural healing factors for recovering from alcoholism

* The vital difference between overeating and being overweight, and why dieters always gain back the pounds they "lost"

* The four therapies that work for depression, and how you can "dispute" your way to optimistic thinking

* The pros and cons of anger, and the steps to take to understand it

* And much more!

Includes bibliographical references (p. [261]-301) and index.

Martin E.P. Seligman, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania and a past president of the American Psychological Association, is a leading motivational expert and an authority on learned helplessness. His many books include Authentic Happiness and The Optimistic Child. Dr. Seligman's research has been supported by the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Institute on Aging, the National Science Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, and the Guggenheim Foundation.