Table of Contents

Preface 1

Introduction: The Car, the Drive, the Journey, or Our Very Own GPS System 5

Part 1 The Car, or "The Biological Mechanism" 9

1 Your Brain, or "You Want to Look Under My Hood?" 11

2 Your Neurotransmitters, or "Reading the Dipstick" 15

3 Your Hypothalamus, or "Do I Need Jumper Cables, New Spark Plugs, or Is My Tank Empty?" 21

Part 2 The Drive, or "Your Psychological Parts and Accessories" 25

4 The Steering Wheel, or "How Are My Driving Skills?" 27

5 The Gearbox, or "How Well Are You Geared Up for the Trip?" 33

6 The Gas Pedal, or "I Think I Can, I Think I Can" 39

7 The Gas Tank, or "Don't Get Tanked" 43

8 The Exhaust and Muffler, or "Please Keep it Down, You Motor-mouth" 47

9 The Rearview Mirror, or "I Can't Stop Looking Backward" 51

10 The Chassis, or "Does My Back Bumper Look Too Wide to You?" 55

11 The Classic Car, or "Boom, Boom, Boom" 59

12 Traction Tires, or "Not Another Snowy Winter" 65

13 Wheel Alignment, or "What Do You Mean, I'm Unstable?" 69

14 Luxurious Options, or "What Do You Mean Your Steering Wheel Is Heated?" 71

15 Suicide, or "What Is the Car Doing in the Garage?" 73

16 Your Diagnostic Dashboard, or "Is a Yellow Light OK, or Can I Just Wait for a Red One?" 79

17 The Diagnostic Assessment, or "How Can I Be Plugged in for Results?" 83

Part 3 The Journey, or "The Many Roads We Have Traveled" 89

18 Off Road Journeys, or "I Love the Rocky Road" 91

19 The Unplanned Journey, or "Can I Survive This?" 95

20 Ignition Switch, or "Start Your Engines!" 99

Appendix 101

Acknowledgements 107