Check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oFVOJf0TzY

Although it discusses internet porn addiction primarily it offers really good information on the brain mechanics of addiction. It seems that knowledge of these mechanics serves two important functions. First, it seems to generate additional will power to fight cravings. Second, it explains in concrete terms how addiction is a chemical and mechanical process and not a moral failing or personality defect.

I found this video also increases my hope that a cure to addiction is definitely possible. I hope other people here find it helpful as well.

Cool! Thanks, Deuce!

I saw a piece on CNN last night regarding former congressman Anthony Weiner who killed his political career by "sexting" pictures of himself. His wife (an aid to Hillary Clinton) just left him for doing it again. The CNN interviewer asked a psychologist why would someone risk their entire career through engaging in such reckless behavior. The answer (as explained in the video linked to above) is that his reward circuitry has been rewired such that his will power is weakened and the neuro-pathway giving him a reward for this type of behavior in the form of dopamine has been strengthened.

When we think alcoholism we can see a parallel. The alcoholic brain has been rewired such that the pathways for reward with regard to alcohol have been strengthened and the will power pathway has been weakened. TSM works to weaken the reward pathway of course but does little to strengthen the will power pathway. However, the video suggests using meditation as a means of strengthening the will power pathway which I found interesting.

Yes, agreed and interesting. In addition, however, I personally think that Anthony Weiner has Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Those people do not behave like normal people and never will. I was SO GLAD to hear that his wife had finally gotten rid of him.

So the question is, was his impulse control overridden because of addiction, narcissistic personality disorder or both?

I'm speculating a little of both.....

It makes me wonder what the relationship is between "psychology" and the mechanics of brain function. Is psychology merely a reflection of the mechanics of the brain? For example, I feel a craving to perform an act because I want the dopamine my brain excretes in response to that act but in my mind it just feels like I want to do it. But then again maybe the mechanics of brain function reflect my psychology. I want to do something so therefore my brain excretes more dopamine in response to a particular act to reflect this desire. Or maybe the mechanics of brain function and psychology affect each other equally (or to varying degrees). It's tough to wrap my brain around this.

I think it works both ways, but craving can certainly be hard-wired (and unwired via TSM). The communication between the Striatum and the prefrontal area is often not very good. Memories in the hippocampus, those are the kind we can talk about. Memories in the Striatum, they're different and not so easy to access and talk about. The Striatum doesn't have any use for logic or reason (pre-frontal functions). The dorsal striatum doesn't even "feel" anything, but it can use dopamine to "remember" the steps needed to satisfy a craving. It's more used to handling emergencies and stressful incidents.

Source: The web and "The Upward Spiral" by Alex Korb

Mindfulness is important because it brings about an awareness of the different aspects of the brain that in many cases work at cross purposes. Without mindfulness we tend to experience the world as if we only have one mind as opposed to several minds layered on top of each other. This is why we can want to quit drinking while at the same time keep drinking.

Not to mention that alcohol tends to numb the pre-frontal area or creates a "hypofrontal" situation as the video says.

Many bingers seem to have more trouble finding that prefrontal control, with control manifesting as "passing out", though that seems to change with TSM (less blacking out). Though I wonder if it doesn't turn into a bit of a loop of being conscious of having less control than desired (perceived failure) which is stressful and leads to more drinking (and so more perceived failure). Whichever way it is, it seems to be harder to find that point of control where the prefrontal area gets the upper hand.