The Neuroscience of Addiction - with Marc Lewis

Neuroscientist and former addict Marc Lewis makes the case that addiction isn't a disease at all, although it has been recently branded as such.

In recent decades doctors have branded addiction a brain disease, and treated it as such. But in this riveting and provocative talk, neuroscientist and former addict Marc Lewis makes the convincing case that addiction isn’t a disease at all. Using personal stories and robust science, he explains how addiction really impacts our brains, and how neuroplasticity and a developmental approach to treatment can help to overcome it.

Marc Lewis is a neuroscientist and professor of developmental psychology, recently at the University of Toronto, where he taught and conducted research from 1989 to 2010, and presently at Radboud University in the Netherlands. He is the author or co-author of over 50 journal publications in psychology and neuroscience, editor of an academic book on developmental psychology, and co-author of a book for parents. More recently he has written two books concerning addiction.

[anastasiafromdp]

I don't care whether Marc is a good or bad lecturer, whether he did or did not do a line before the speech as many commented. All I care about is - this is the best explanation of addiction that I've ever encountered. And I will probably have to watch it many times and write down all important points and suggestions because I am sugar and food addict. Nothing I read or watched before helped me understand what is happening with me and now that I do, I feel empowered to change it. Just want to thank Marc Lewis for this great speech!

[toesonmypillow]

I seriously appreciate when someone with a Ph.d refrains from unnecessarily complexifying data/ideas just to prove themselves as an intellectual. Marc's humility and relatability (using his own personal stories) is so refreshing in the medicalized world of addiction. Not to mention his integration of behavioral changes, pharmaceutical intervention, meditation, psychotherapy, and the idea that the brain can always change gives the addict many tools and hope.

[ianmasters]

I am an addict. I have never watched this sort of thing before as if felt uncomfortable. I am in a situation where I could loose everything I hold dear. I’m glad I have watched this.

[dennismoore]

As an addict who has said "This is day one!" many times and has sat in the Anonymous meetings having to say I'm powerless and give myself to god (which is all the more fun when you arent religious), it was really inspiring to once not feel a death sentence. To hear that there is a way out and that I can get past it. This is of course my next "Day One" and very well may not be my last, but it's certainly the first one where I truly felt hopeful about my future.

[iimsoxo]

People should always read his book “ memoirs of an addicted brain “ i just finished reading it a week ago and he talks about him as an addict and what he went through! Really good !

[hybridepigenes]

I had bought into the disease model. It was drummed into me. How absolutely enlightening this talk was. Empowerment and compassion focused therapy are always missing from all the programs I have seen.

[gingerisevil]

I suffered from addiction as a result of abuse and poverty and social isolation. I view this as a normal response to trauma and a learned behavior. Exactly. He is spot on.

[oriolagullo]

I am an addict too. I have been studing addiction for several years and I find the content of this lecture of very high quality. Thank you!

[kalwinderkaur]

Sir
ur vedios have help me recovering from drug addiction. I had hit flat rock bottom emotionally financially n mentally n had no choice but to face it brutally but honestly. I relapsed n had no idea of why. u explained brain n it's pathological role in addiction
thx from the bottom of my heart

[Jlborowy]

I agree that addiction is NOT a disease... I see it, as do many in the addiction field, as a mental illness, or mental disorder, not unlike bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, ADD/ADHD, PTSD, clinical depression, etc. It's treatable, not "curable". It's absolutely possible to "rewire" your brain enough to cope with the illness/disorder, and live a functional life, without using drugs, or whatever else your addiction focus is. You were an addict before you used drugs, or whatever, but whatever you're addicted to does make the illness worse over time, as any mental illness/disorder does, if left untreated.

[prometeo_X]

Tough crowd, I found his jokes funny. Entertaining and informative, excellent talk!

[fransahm]

Good info ... He sounds like he had first hand experience before the presentation. Better than listening to people that have no idea what they are talking about. Thanks Marc

[scorpiostwo]

I've been working as an addictions counselors in an intense 8 weekend substance abuse treatment facility for federal parolees in Canada and I never bought the "addiction is a disease" modality. Here, our treatment philosophy is based on the social learning theory in that addiction is a learnt behaviour. When Mark wrote The Biology of Desire, it reinforced exactly how we approach addiction. We'd be doing the parolees a disservice if we told them they were sick and they're was no cure. We're even encouraging our clients to read it. We need more people like Mark Lewis to destroy this house of cards that's been built and the crap the medical establishment has been peddling since the 1950s.

[simonwiltshire]

ThIs is a superb talk. Techy enough without excluding a general audience.

[matamorosa]

his book "memoirs of an addicted brain" is absolutely amazing, hands down the best book i've ever read

[joemalik]

Awesome talk. I have been addicted to various drugs through out my life. I was a complete mess until I decided on my own that it wasn't a disease but a habit. I still do drugs occasionally but not habitually. Somethings that helped me was deciding to never doing drugs when I am in a bad mood, never going out of my way to find them and being mindful of when and why I have a craving. Also, hitchhiking through Kansas.

[varunpro]

The overlap of unacceptable (drugs, over indulgence ) & the acceptable ( smoking, drinking, binge eating maybe) is uber important to understand in its subtlety / variableness; and Marc Lewis gave very good tools to envision them ; hence practically take ownership in why & how and what can be done at individual level thereon ...


Simply Brilliant ... Two Thumbs up !

[notyetskeletal]

This is gold. It makes me want to learn more. I have been told sections of this in some of my addiction recovery but its so refreshing to hear an expanded version now. I think there are pathways from this knowledge to ponder on to remain more self away in critical times. This brings me immediate hope. I will to listen to it again, take notes and implement this into my life. I want to help others too and to find how.

[georgbreckmann]

I once attended an NA meeting with a girlfriend who was fighting pot / ecstasy addiction. I was really put off that, at the beginning of the meeting, she had to open with, “I’m Clare and I’m an addict.” On the way back to her house, I told her that this was beginning the session of getting away from the drugs with an AFFIRMATION. The AA meetings do the same thing. This is simply wrong. They should at least change it to say, “Hello, I’m Bill and I WAS a heroin addict, but I’m living sober now.”

[edbrown]

I would like to say, respectfully, that the recommendations made here for rehabilitation are EXACTLY in line with 12 step programs. I won't list examples, but, each of his SUGGESTIONS are the same as ones given to me by a sponsor in AA.