The Upward Spiral: Using Neuroscience to Reverse the Course of Depression, One Small Change at a Time

There isn't "one big solution" to ease depression--instead there are several small, simple steps you can take to alter your brain activity and chemistry. This newly revised and updated 10th anniversary edition of The Upward Spiral offers actionable strategies to help you reshape your brain and build the life you want.

Depression can feel like a downward spiral, pulling you into a vortex of sadness, fatigue, and apathy. In The Upward Spiral, neuroscientist Alex Korb demystifies the intricate brain processes that cause depression and offers a practical and effective approach to getting better. Based on the latest research in neuroscience, this book provides dozens of straightforward tips you can do every day to rewire your brain and create an upward spiral towards a happier, healthier life.

If you suffer from depression, this book offers an engaging and informative look at the neuroscience behind our emotions, thoughts, and actions. This updated edition also includes new research on the impact of social media and smart phones on mental health.

Small steps in the right direction can have profound effects―giving you the power to become your best self as you literally reshape your brain, one small change at a time.

Author: Alex Korb
Publisher: New Harbinger Publications
Published: 11/01/2025
Pages: 240
Binding Type: Paperback
ISBN13: 9781648486869
ISBN10: 164848686X
BISAC Categories:
- Self-Help | Mood Disorders | General
- Psychology | Neuropsychology
- Psychology | Psychopathology | Depression

About the Author

Alex Korb, PhD, is a neuroscientist who has studied the brain and mental health for more than twenty years. He earned an undergraduate degree from Brown University and a PhD in neuroscience from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He is currently adjunct assistant professor at UCLA in the department of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences. Outside of academia, he is a speaker, leadership consultant, and personal development coach. His coaching program helps high achievers break free from overthinking, anxiety, and self-doubt. He has also coached the UCLA Women's ultimate frisbee team for two decades, and even spent several years doing stand-up comedy.

Foreword writer Daniel J. Siegel, MD, is executive director of the Mindsight Institute and an associate clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine. He is author of The Developing Mind, The Mindful Brain, and other books, and founding editor of the Norton Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology.