Can't Just Stop : An Investigation of Compulsions

Mild compulsions, such as hanging the tea towels just so or constantly checking for text messages, are something most of us have witnessed or even engaged in. But compulsions exist along a broad continuum, and at the extremes there exist life-altering disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), hoarding, compulsive exercise, and even compulsions to do good. They may look profoundly different, but these behaviors are all ways of coping with the anxiety that is a hallmark of the times we live in. With a focus on the personal stories of dozens of interviewees, Sharon Begley explores the role of compulsion in our fast-paced culture and the strange manifestation of this very human behavior throughout history. Can't Just Stop makes compulsion comprehensible and accessible, exploring how we can realistically grapple with it in ourselves and in those we love.