The Addicted Brain

Why We Abuse Drugs, Alcohol, and Nicotine

Plot

What Science Has Learned About Addiction: What causes it? How do drugs change the brain? Who s most vulnerable? Does treatment work? What can we do? Addiction destroys lives. In "The Addicted Brain," a leading neuroscientist explains how and why this happens and presents advances in treatment and prevention. Using breathtaking brain imagery and other research, Michael Kuhar, Ph.D., shows the powerful, long-term brain changes that drugs can cause, revealing why it can be so difficult for addicts to escape their grip. In plain English, Kuhar describes why some people are far more susceptible to addiction than others. He illuminates striking neural similarities between drugs and other pleasures potentially capable of causing abuse or addiction including alcohol, gambling, sex, caffeine, and even Internet overuse. Finally, he outlines the 12 characteristics most often associated with successful treatment. Authoritative and easy to understand, "The Addicted Brain" offers today s most up-to-date scientific explanation of addiction and what addicts, their families, and society can do about it."