Introduction: Your Brain Is Always Listening to Hidden Dragons 1
Your Brain: A Very Brief Primer 11
Section 1 Tame The Dragons From The Past: Your History Is Not Your Destiny 15
Abandoned, Invisible, or Insignificant Dragons 18
Inferior or Flawed Dragons 22
Anxious Dragons 26
Wounded Dragons 31
Should and Shaming Dragons 37
Special, Spoiled, or Entitled Dragons 41
Responsible Dragons 44
Angry Dragons 47
Judgmental Dragons 51
Death Dragons 56
Grief and Loss Dragons 59
Hopeless and Helpless Dragons 68
Ancestral Dragons 72
Section 2 Quiet The They, Them, And Other Dragons: Don't Let Their Dragons Pick Fights with Yours 79
Parent Dragons 81
Sibling and Birth Order Dragons 83
Children Dragons 85
Teacher and Coach Dragons 87
Friends, Popular Kids, Bullies, and Mean Girt Dragons 88
Former, Current, and Prospective Lover Dragons 90
Internet Troll Dragons 92
Section 3 Tame The Thoughts That Fuel Your Dragons: How Challenging 100 of Your Worst Thoughts Can Heal Your LIFE 97
All-or-Nothing ANTs 102
Less-Than ANTs 105
Just-the-Bad ANTs 107
Guilt-Beating ANTs 109
Labeling ANTs 112
Fortune-Telling ANTs 114
Mind-Reading ANTs 117
If-Only and I'll-Be-Happy-When ANTs 119
Blaming ANTs 121
Section 4 Eliminate Bad Habit Dragons: Identify the Automatic Behaviors That Ruin Your Life 133
Saying Yes, When You Should Say No Bad Habit Dragons 139
Automatic No or Arguing Bad Habit Dragons 141
Interrupting, No-Filter Bad Habit Dragons 144
Trouble with the Truth Bad Habit Dragons 147
Distracted, Obsessive, Multitasking Bad Habit Dragons 150
Procrastinating (I'll Do It Tomorrow) Bad Habit Dragons 152
Disorganized Bad Habit Dragons 155
Let's Have A Problem Bad Habit Dragons 158
Overeating Bad Habit Dragons 161
Oblivious Bad Habit Dragons 165
Section 5 Outfox The Scheming Dragons: The Impact of Advertisers, Food Companies, Gadgets, News, and Social Media 169
Food Pusher Dragons 174
Substance and Toxin Pusher Dragons 178
Digital Dragons 184
Contact Sports Dragons 189
Holiday Dragons 191
Section 6 Addicted Dragon Recovery Program: A New 12-Step Brain-Based Model 195
Section 7 The Dragon Tamer: Is Yours Healthy, Weak, or Overcontrolling? 247
Final Thoughts 263
About Daniel G. Amen, MD 267
Gratitude and Appreciation 269
Resources 271
Notes 275