Recommendation | A Longing Heart
introduction
preface

Part 1: Dopamine Attack

Chapter 1: The Face of Addiction
Chapter 2: People Addicted to Modern Technology: Social Media Addiction
Chapter 3: A Story About Myself: Ego Addiction
Chapter 4: A World of My Own Soul: Addicted to Fun
Chapter 5: My Head is Full of Thoughts: Thought Addiction
Chapter 6 My World is Full of Affection: Love Addiction

Part 2: Freedom from Dopamine

Chapter 7: Why Your Focus Was Stolen
Chapter 8: Learning Bad and Good Behaviors
Chapter 9 Immersion
Chapter 10: Resilience Training

Conclusion: The future is here.
Appendix Mindfulness Personality Types
main
Acknowledgements
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Those who cannot escape the shackles of addiction
A book that examines both the brain and the mind simultaneously

We've all had the experience of knowing we should put our smartphones down but still continuing, or deciding to go on a diet only to crumble in front of food.
Addiction is a universal phenomenon that permeates every aspect of modern life today.
Addiction psychologist Judson Brewer doesn't dismiss addiction as simply a "lack of willpower" or a "bad habit."
In the context of mislearning the dopamine reward circuitry, where the brain mistakes certain behaviors for rewards, resulting in repetitive cravings and behaviors regardless of one's will, addiction is not a moral failing of the individual, but rather a learned response pattern of the brain.


The author's extensive clinical experience and personal exploration, accumulated during his time at Yale, the University of Massachusetts, and Brown, led him to explore in earnest what happens in the brain when we properly care for our minds, and how these insights can be used to improve patients' lives.
After a personal experience sparked his interest in exploring the relationship between mind and body, he began researching the impact of stress on the immune system. One day, while struggling with stress, he found himself holding a book in his hands.
It was 『Full Catastrophe Living』 by Jon Kabat-Zinn, the godfather of mindfulness meditation.
After that, the author's life began to change 180 degrees.
I began meditating daily, and in the process, the connections between early Buddhist teachings and the discoveries of modern science began to dawn on me.
Particular attention has been focused on how this could be used to address addiction issues.
The research that began that way continued for over 20 years and established Judson Brewer as the 'leading authority in the field of addiction psychology.'


A brain that wants to stop but can't

The book begins by explaining the mechanisms of the brain that lead to addiction through Skinner's 'reward-based learning'.
'I did well on the test, so my mom praised me → I studied hard to receive praise → I felt good after receiving praise.' Every time we repeat this behavior, the brain pathways are strengthened and a cycle of habits is created.
As a result, the way we view the world becomes fixed, and this biased view, created based on the rewards and punishments of previous actions, is called 'subjective bias'.
Regardless of the type, most addictions go through this process, leading to a state where subjective bias becomes overly dominant.


The book covers a variety of addictions in detail over six chapters, and the chapter on love addiction is particularly interesting.
A research team led by biological anthropologist Helen Fisher conducted an fMRI experiment to see if the brains of people in love were the same areas activated by addictive drugs such as cocaine, and found that feelings of love increased activity in the areas of the brain that produce dopamine.
So what's the difference between being addicted to love and being in a mature relationship? The author shares his own story of how he began practicing loving-kindness meditation to overcome the difficult times following the end of a romantic relationship.
Brain activity graphs during meditation showed decreased activity in the posterior cingulate cortex, suggesting that love does not necessarily activate the brain region associated with egocentrism.
This means that through mindfulness, love can also progress in a fulfilling way.


How to Be Free from Cravings Through Mindfulness

People often rely on willpower to break bad habits, but willpower alone isn't enough to overcome them.
Based on neuroscientific and clinical evidence, the author suggests 'mindfulness' as a way to escape this vicious cycle.
Mindfulness is the practice of observing emotional signals such as anxiety, impulses, and cravings as they arise, without judging or suppressing them.
Numerous studies have shown that during this process, the prefrontal cortex of the brain is activated and the ability to regulate the impulsive reward circuit is strengthened.
To prove this again, the author conducted a clinical trial applying mindfulness to smoking cessation, and the results showed that the group that received mindfulness-based training had a smoking cessation success rate more than twice as high as the group that participated in a famous smoking cessation program.


This book explores the nature of desire and addiction based on brain science and clinical cases, and even presents specific practical methods that anyone can apply in their daily lives. The author's message is simple.
Addiction is a badly learned brain habit that can be easily changed through new learning.
As you read this book, which offers those suffering from addiction the opportunity to break free from self-blame and live a more assertive life, you'll find yourself on the right path, holding the map of mindfulness to navigate life's terrain.