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The Craving Mind: From Cigarettes to Smartphones to Love--Why We Get Hooked and How We Can Break Bad Habits
A leading neuroscientist and pioneer in the study of mindfulness explains why addictions are so tenacious and how we can learn to conquer them
We are all vulnerable to addiction. Whether it’s a compulsion to constantly check social media, binge eating, smoking, excessive drinking, or any other behaviors, we may find ourselves uncontrollably repeating. Why are bad habits so hard to overcome? Is there a key to conquering the cravings we know are unhealthy for us?
This book provides groundbreaking answers to the most important questions about addiction. Dr. Judson Brewer, a psychiatrist and neuroscientist who has studied the science of addictions for twenty years, reveals how we can tap into the very processes that encourage addictive behaviors in order to step out of them. He describes the mechanisms of habit and addiction formation, then explains how the practice of mindfulness can interrupt these habits. Weaving together patient stories, his own experience with mindfulness practice, and current scientific findings from his own lab and others, Dr. Brewer offers a path for moving beyond our cravings, reducing stress, and ultimately living a fuller life.
We are all vulnerable to addiction. Whether it’s a compulsion to constantly check social media, binge eating, smoking, excessive drinking, or any other behaviors, we may find ourselves uncontrollably repeating. Why are bad habits so hard to overcome? Is there a key to conquering the cravings we know are unhealthy for us?
This book provides groundbreaking answers to the most important questions about addiction. Dr. Judson Brewer, a psychiatrist and neuroscientist who has studied the science of addictions for twenty years, reveals how we can tap into the very processes that encourage addictive behaviors in order to step out of them. He describes the mechanisms of habit and addiction formation, then explains how the practice of mindfulness can interrupt these habits. Weaving together patient stories, his own experience with mindfulness practice, and current scientific findings from his own lab and others, Dr. Brewer offers a path for moving beyond our cravings, reducing stress, and ultimately living a fuller life.
257 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 7, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 507 reviews
December 16, 2017
At times, one gets the feeling that the only thing Judson Brewer likes more than mindfulness is Judson Brewer. Perhaps his editor is to blame. Readers are constantly regaled with stories about Brewer's trials, tribulations, and, ultimately, successes. Beyond the utter ubiquity of reward-based learning, I will remember that Brewer teaches at Yale, that famous people are interested in his dynamic and cutting-edge research, and that he apparently has a lot of time to meditate.
Which brings me to an important point: this book makes clear that mindfulness, as we discuss it now, has a class dimension. It takes a certain level of wealth and flexibility to be able to do week and month-long meditation retreats. Who else but a tenured Yale professor could do so? This book often uses drug addicts and alcoholics as examples, but its audience is middle and upper middle class knowledge workers - the people whose ipads and iphones function like an IV.
Other problems: very broad definition of "addiction," slavish devotion to reward-based learning, and a repetitive structure. There is little by way of conclusion, except more about Brewer's research plans and an epilogue that sounds an awful lot like an advertisement for his business.
Mindfulness is a business. It is good to be present and mindful - many religions and social systems teach this. If it works for drug addicts and alcoholics, that is wonderful. But most current mindfulness discourse is a weak response to a destructive and unsustainable socio-economic order of social media and digital tech. Rather than change how we work and live, we are told to meditate and demand mental health services. We should try changing how we work and live. But that is a moral and political issue where an attitude of non-judgment won't suffice.
"The Craving Mind" will teach you a little bit about the process of addiction and how to be aware of the thought patterns that entrench habits. Beyond that, I'd recommend looking elsewhere.
Which brings me to an important point: this book makes clear that mindfulness, as we discuss it now, has a class dimension. It takes a certain level of wealth and flexibility to be able to do week and month-long meditation retreats. Who else but a tenured Yale professor could do so? This book often uses drug addicts and alcoholics as examples, but its audience is middle and upper middle class knowledge workers - the people whose ipads and iphones function like an IV.
Other problems: very broad definition of "addiction," slavish devotion to reward-based learning, and a repetitive structure. There is little by way of conclusion, except more about Brewer's research plans and an epilogue that sounds an awful lot like an advertisement for his business.
Mindfulness is a business. It is good to be present and mindful - many religions and social systems teach this. If it works for drug addicts and alcoholics, that is wonderful. But most current mindfulness discourse is a weak response to a destructive and unsustainable socio-economic order of social media and digital tech. Rather than change how we work and live, we are told to meditate and demand mental health services. We should try changing how we work and live. But that is a moral and political issue where an attitude of non-judgment won't suffice.
"The Craving Mind" will teach you a little bit about the process of addiction and how to be aware of the thought patterns that entrench habits. Beyond that, I'd recommend looking elsewhere.
January 30, 2020
3.5 stars. I think I would have enjoyed this audiobook more with a different narrator, or if I had read the book rather than listened to it. The narrator sounded like a computer to me, no personality or inflections in his voice, just a monotone. So the book lost half a star for that alone, as it was distracting.
Other than that, I enjoyed it. There was nothing terribly new about the first part on addictions. Yes, we get "rewards" for our addictions; that is why they are so hard to break. As a former psychology major, I am well familiar with BF Skinner and operant conditioning. Brewer spends a lot of time on Smartphone and Facebook addiction, I guess to keep things current, along with other more typical physical and psychological addictions (cigarettes, etc.) The chapter on addiction to overthinking was interesting to me, as I certainly suffer from this tendency, though I am not convinced it is really an addiction as much as a personality trait.
As an avid cyclist, I particularly enjoyed the chapter about Lance Armstrong, whom Brewer admits to idolizing and then, later, being unable to believe the doping charges being leveled against his hero until the evidence was overwhelming. I could have written that section as I felt the same. I also appreciated Brewer's description of the "flow" that he experienced while riding his mountain bike, as I have felt the same. Mountain biking is the ultimate in mindfulness as you really do have to remain focused on the challenges coming at you at that moment...no zoning out!
The latter part of the book focused on mindfulness and meditation as a means to overcome our addictions. I have been doing much reading on mindfulness and meditation lately but had not considered this connection. There is quite a bit of science behind this, and Brewer's scientific knowledge is impressive. In the Epilogue he promotes his mindfulness app, which I haven't checked out yet, but it does sound like it could be helpful. I didn't find the promotion to be intrusive, since it was only offered up at the end of the text and not advertised throughout.
Other than that, I enjoyed it. There was nothing terribly new about the first part on addictions. Yes, we get "rewards" for our addictions; that is why they are so hard to break. As a former psychology major, I am well familiar with BF Skinner and operant conditioning. Brewer spends a lot of time on Smartphone and Facebook addiction, I guess to keep things current, along with other more typical physical and psychological addictions (cigarettes, etc.) The chapter on addiction to overthinking was interesting to me, as I certainly suffer from this tendency, though I am not convinced it is really an addiction as much as a personality trait.
As an avid cyclist, I particularly enjoyed the chapter about Lance Armstrong, whom Brewer admits to idolizing and then, later, being unable to believe the doping charges being leveled against his hero until the evidence was overwhelming. I could have written that section as I felt the same. I also appreciated Brewer's description of the "flow" that he experienced while riding his mountain bike, as I have felt the same. Mountain biking is the ultimate in mindfulness as you really do have to remain focused on the challenges coming at you at that moment...no zoning out!
The latter part of the book focused on mindfulness and meditation as a means to overcome our addictions. I have been doing much reading on mindfulness and meditation lately but had not considered this connection. There is quite a bit of science behind this, and Brewer's scientific knowledge is impressive. In the Epilogue he promotes his mindfulness app, which I haven't checked out yet, but it does sound like it could be helpful. I didn't find the promotion to be intrusive, since it was only offered up at the end of the text and not advertised throughout.
did-not-finish
September 7, 2017The first chapter pretty much tells you everything you need to know. I do recommend reading it, but after that first part, I felt like I got what I needed.
July 26, 2020
Sadly, this is not what I expected.
I really wanted to get to know this interesting topic about addiction, because if you look closer you'll see that we're all suffering from at least one kind of addiction. This is why I had hoped that this book would enlighten me about this subject, and maybe share few tricks and tips about how to get over it.
But no.
It seemed to me that the author is like this little kid who had an amazing day at school and wanted to share with you what happened, but you just asked him what he learned at school. He did tell you what he learn though, but for him it was a trivial thing. It was not what "you" asked for, but what "he" wanted to tell.
I really felt like the title should be "bouddhisme" or "Meditation", because even if the author talked about addiction, he really focused on meditation as a form of therapy to it, even though I didn't really get it.
I should blame his editor because it was his/her job to help the author makes sense.
I'm sorry for my harsh words, but I really wanted this book to be as good as I thought.
I really wanted to get to know this interesting topic about addiction, because if you look closer you'll see that we're all suffering from at least one kind of addiction. This is why I had hoped that this book would enlighten me about this subject, and maybe share few tricks and tips about how to get over it.
But no.
It seemed to me that the author is like this little kid who had an amazing day at school and wanted to share with you what happened, but you just asked him what he learned at school. He did tell you what he learn though, but for him it was a trivial thing. It was not what "you" asked for, but what "he" wanted to tell.
I really felt like the title should be "bouddhisme" or "Meditation", because even if the author talked about addiction, he really focused on meditation as a form of therapy to it, even though I didn't really get it.
I should blame his editor because it was his/her job to help the author makes sense.
I'm sorry for my harsh words, but I really wanted this book to be as good as I thought.
March 14, 2017
I enjoyed reading this book. However, it didn't live up to my expectations when I read the title. I expected practical advice on how to overcome addictions. I was also a little surprised that it was based on Buddhist teaching, I didn't get that from the description. But if you keep these things in mind and you know what to expect, you can enjoy this book.
I really liked the first half where Brewer explains different types of addiction. he also presents many studies conducted by him and others on how addictions work, what happens in the brain of an addict and how these processes are similar or even the same that happen when other things happen that we wouldn't consider "unhealthy" or "an addiction". It was very interesting to read about his studies about the effects of meditation. There are also many figures included that illustrate his explanations.
In the second half of the book the focus shifted from the studies and the theoretical background towards his personal experience with mediation and how he developed his mindfulness training. It was still interesting, however, I would have preferred to learn about more about what mindfulness actually is and how it works. This part of the book reads more like his biography than anything else. It was also hard for me to see the connection between his personal experience and why he thought that mindfulness training would cure addictions. I don't think that the examples were well-chosen. In addition, I was also a little confused why he analysed a novel (Walden Two) to give advice on how to overcome addictions... Brewer's style was easily accessible. At some points I found his explanations and models too simple or superficial.
I would have preferred that Brewer hadn't mixed his personal story with literary interpretation, studies and Buddhism. He should have either elaborated on the connections between all this or focused on one or two of these things. Perhaps it would have been better if he had included some examples from his mindfulness training.
As I said in the beginning, I still enjoyed reading the book, especially the first half. It was nice to learn about what happens in the brain during meditation and how our mind tends to wander and what one can do about it. I also didn't know a lot about Buddhism, so I learned some new things about that religion, too. If you're interested in these two topics, I would recommend this book to you.
But if you're looking for help to cure your addiction, I would not recomment this book to you.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
I really liked the first half where Brewer explains different types of addiction. he also presents many studies conducted by him and others on how addictions work, what happens in the brain of an addict and how these processes are similar or even the same that happen when other things happen that we wouldn't consider "unhealthy" or "an addiction". It was very interesting to read about his studies about the effects of meditation. There are also many figures included that illustrate his explanations.
In the second half of the book the focus shifted from the studies and the theoretical background towards his personal experience with mediation and how he developed his mindfulness training. It was still interesting, however, I would have preferred to learn about more about what mindfulness actually is and how it works. This part of the book reads more like his biography than anything else. It was also hard for me to see the connection between his personal experience and why he thought that mindfulness training would cure addictions. I don't think that the examples were well-chosen. In addition, I was also a little confused why he analysed a novel (Walden Two) to give advice on how to overcome addictions... Brewer's style was easily accessible. At some points I found his explanations and models too simple or superficial.
I would have preferred that Brewer hadn't mixed his personal story with literary interpretation, studies and Buddhism. He should have either elaborated on the connections between all this or focused on one or two of these things. Perhaps it would have been better if he had included some examples from his mindfulness training.
As I said in the beginning, I still enjoyed reading the book, especially the first half. It was nice to learn about what happens in the brain during meditation and how our mind tends to wander and what one can do about it. I also didn't know a lot about Buddhism, so I learned some new things about that religion, too. If you're interested in these two topics, I would recommend this book to you.
But if you're looking for help to cure your addiction, I would not recomment this book to you.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 12, 2021
It was a dry book at times, but it's such useful knowledge and research. It's not exactly self-help or scientific discovery but can be an on-ramp into both. I'm not sure how useful the meditation brain scans are (I've heard that some of this research is questionable), but I do think the answer to breaking any bad habit has got to be to sort of hijack that quick mental process of trigger and response and put some short break between the two. Smoking is obviously the hardest habit to break for most people and the fact that they've gotten results through this method are encouraging. The smart phone addiction is one we need to be dealing with and this book is a good place to start.
June 3, 2024
It’s a pity with all the knowledge of addiction, the author still couldn’t make me crave this book.
I was close to giving this book a higher-than-mediocre rating. Close. The book's first part is insightful, offering perspectives and facts I did not know before. The second falls short as the author is addicted to talking about himself. Ironic, I know. I’ve seen obese dietitians, illiterate authors, and beauty specialists who only get uglier—an unawarely addicted neuroscientist is something new.
Dr. Brewer, the author, is a neuroscientist and psychiatrist from an elite university who lives up to his title. I learned plenty. His definition of addiction is broad and includes any dopamine-triggering substance or behaviour. It includes social media use, self-obsession, and even love.
Paradoxically, despite the facts and studies on self-addiction, the author seems blissfully unaware of his own obsession. He even says: “talking about ourselves is rewarding, and doing it obsessively may be very similar to getting hooked on drugs.”
What’s funny is that he overshares his personal life throughout the book. No one cares or wants to know his detailed biography or listen to compliments about his greatness in each chapter. Why do I know he proposed to his girlfriend by saying, “Will you e-mail me?”. God, take that to the grave—it’s not as witty as you think.
Also, did he keep going to pricy Buddhist retreats just to brag about his “enlightenment”? Who cares what he did or who he met? As a scientist, he forgot he should aim for objectivity and value to the reader. I suppose the high of talking about himself was too irresistible. Ha-ha.
I was close to giving this book a higher-than-mediocre rating. Close. The book's first part is insightful, offering perspectives and facts I did not know before. The second falls short as the author is addicted to talking about himself. Ironic, I know. I’ve seen obese dietitians, illiterate authors, and beauty specialists who only get uglier—an unawarely addicted neuroscientist is something new.
Dr. Brewer, the author, is a neuroscientist and psychiatrist from an elite university who lives up to his title. I learned plenty. His definition of addiction is broad and includes any dopamine-triggering substance or behaviour. It includes social media use, self-obsession, and even love.
Paradoxically, despite the facts and studies on self-addiction, the author seems blissfully unaware of his own obsession. He even says: “talking about ourselves is rewarding, and doing it obsessively may be very similar to getting hooked on drugs.”
What’s funny is that he overshares his personal life throughout the book. No one cares or wants to know his detailed biography or listen to compliments about his greatness in each chapter. Why do I know he proposed to his girlfriend by saying, “Will you e-mail me?”. God, take that to the grave—it’s not as witty as you think.
Also, did he keep going to pricy Buddhist retreats just to brag about his “enlightenment”? Who cares what he did or who he met? As a scientist, he forgot he should aim for objectivity and value to the reader. I suppose the high of talking about himself was too irresistible. Ha-ha.
December 21, 2019
W temacie kształtowania i odkształcania nawyków oraz nałogów nie przeczytacie nic lepszego. A mówię to przeczytawszy The Power of Habit Duhigga, Atomic Habits Jamesa Cleara i parę innych.
November 10, 2017
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
Initial thoughts: The Craving Mind was a little confusing in terms of its stance towards mindfulness. On one hand, mindfulness was presented as a mental state underpinned by psychological study. On the other, a fair bit of Buddhist teachings were drawn upon without ever making clear the links between Buddhism and the origins of mindfulness. I already knew that mindfulness was historically rooted in Buddhism before gaining popularity beyond, but not much more. When Buddhism came up in The Craving Mind, I expected to gain more insight. Nope.
That being said, The Craving Mind did address addictions — how they develop and why we carry on, even when we cognitively know that our addictions harm us, regardless of how much better we feel in the face of temporary reprieve. It also invites readers to take a closer look at habits that might have become addictions.
After finishing this book, I walked away with greater awareness about myself and the resolve to be in the moment, focusing on the things I'm currently doing. For example, rather than eating at my desk to save time, I will carve out proper meal times again during which I focus on my food. That should come with several benefits: enjoying my food properly, less snacking because I'll actually know how much I eat, and therefore less overeating. Also, mind wandering — my mind tends to go into overdrive, imagining a billion scenarios instead of actively working towards a specific desired outcome.
Given the benefits I reaped, I think The Craving Mind serves well as a self-help book but as book on psychology? Not so much. There's not enough explanation or theory for that.
Initial thoughts: The Craving Mind was a little confusing in terms of its stance towards mindfulness. On one hand, mindfulness was presented as a mental state underpinned by psychological study. On the other, a fair bit of Buddhist teachings were drawn upon without ever making clear the links between Buddhism and the origins of mindfulness. I already knew that mindfulness was historically rooted in Buddhism before gaining popularity beyond, but not much more. When Buddhism came up in The Craving Mind, I expected to gain more insight. Nope.
That being said, The Craving Mind did address addictions — how they develop and why we carry on, even when we cognitively know that our addictions harm us, regardless of how much better we feel in the face of temporary reprieve. It also invites readers to take a closer look at habits that might have become addictions.
After finishing this book, I walked away with greater awareness about myself and the resolve to be in the moment, focusing on the things I'm currently doing. For example, rather than eating at my desk to save time, I will carve out proper meal times again during which I focus on my food. That should come with several benefits: enjoying my food properly, less snacking because I'll actually know how much I eat, and therefore less overeating. Also, mind wandering — my mind tends to go into overdrive, imagining a billion scenarios instead of actively working towards a specific desired outcome.
Given the benefits I reaped, I think The Craving Mind serves well as a self-help book but as book on psychology? Not so much. There's not enough explanation or theory for that.
May 23, 2022
Las filosofías orientales están de moda, en especial el budismo. Abundan las meditaciones guiadas, cursos, libros y otros productos que empaquetan estos principios cuál panacea para todos los males. Lo cierto es que sí ha resultado ser la panacea. Justamente lo confirma Judsom Brewer en la Mente Ansiosa, con la rigurososidad de la ciencia más experimental detalla la evidencia a favor y nos explica cómo la meditación funciona para contrarrestar la conducta adictiva. En este punto es importante aclarar que no sólo se refiere a las adicciones más reconocidas, también menciona todas aquellas que a nivel cerebral tienen el mismo funcionamiento. Y es que el sistema de recompensa propio de los humanos nos hace quedar enganchados casi a cualquier cosa: juegos, comida, hablar de sí mismo, a enamorarse y otras tantas.
Después de explicarnos el funcionamiento cognitivo y biológico, Dawson nos muestra la puerta de salida, la solución que él probó y que ha sido avalada por investigaciones de su equipo y de otros. Y los alcances no se limitan a la conducta adictiva, el distanciamiento y descentramiento que se consigue con el entrenamiento en meditación permite un mayor equilibrio y mejores manejos emocionales, entre tantas bondades que menciona.
Así las cosas, el libro me convenció de comprarme un zafu y volver la meditación parte de mis hábitos cotidianos. Lo único negativo y la razón por la que le quito estrellas: en gran parte del libro se torna excesivamente biologicista.
Después de explicarnos el funcionamiento cognitivo y biológico, Dawson nos muestra la puerta de salida, la solución que él probó y que ha sido avalada por investigaciones de su equipo y de otros. Y los alcances no se limitan a la conducta adictiva, el distanciamiento y descentramiento que se consigue con el entrenamiento en meditación permite un mayor equilibrio y mejores manejos emocionales, entre tantas bondades que menciona.
Así las cosas, el libro me convenció de comprarme un zafu y volver la meditación parte de mis hábitos cotidianos. Lo único negativo y la razón por la que le quito estrellas: en gran parte del libro se torna excesivamente biologicista.
January 3, 2018
Честно говоря, не очень поняла, на что автор угрохал почти 300 страниц. Все его выводы есть в предисловии (дофаминовая зависимость, блаблабла), после чего начинается хождение по кругу. Особенно умиляет его любовь к медитации, смысл которой малость ускользает. Должна ли она научить меня концентрировать внимание или же перестать залезать в ленту Фейсбука? Или все вместе?
Короче, я за отделение науки от медитативных практик. Кому-то такое сочетание покажется нормальным, но я пока не готова к этому.
Короче, я за отделение науки от медитативных практик. Кому-то такое сочетание покажется нормальным, но я пока не готова к этому.
October 3, 2020
Got the book free with my Audible subscription. It talks about using mindfulness to break a habit and learning to not act upon cravings.
January 30, 2020
I confess to having a phone addiction. I recently read Cal Newport's incredible book, Digital Minimalism and I followed some of his recommendations. Example, I uninstalled social media apps like Whatsaap and Facebook on my phone. I now access Facebook once a week.
But despite these steps, I'm still not digitally minimal enough. I still constantly check my phone and surf the internet countless times in a day. Reading The Craving Mind is another try to cure my addiction. The answers to addiction in this book, however, differs from those in Newport's. While Newport recommends deliberately turning off notifications, digital decluttering, and the likes, Judson Brewer recommends the practice of mindfulness or meditation.
Brewer explains that the practice of mindfulness can interrupt our addictive habits. Weaving together patient stories, his own experience with mindfulness practise, and current scientific findings from his own lab and others, Brewer offers a path for moving beyond our cravings, reducing stress, and ultimately living a fuller life.
I've been wishing to start practising meditation. Since this book had sufficiently shown its benefits as a medication for addiction, I will delay no further.
But despite these steps, I'm still not digitally minimal enough. I still constantly check my phone and surf the internet countless times in a day. Reading The Craving Mind is another try to cure my addiction. The answers to addiction in this book, however, differs from those in Newport's. While Newport recommends deliberately turning off notifications, digital decluttering, and the likes, Judson Brewer recommends the practice of mindfulness or meditation.
Brewer explains that the practice of mindfulness can interrupt our addictive habits. Weaving together patient stories, his own experience with mindfulness practise, and current scientific findings from his own lab and others, Brewer offers a path for moving beyond our cravings, reducing stress, and ultimately living a fuller life.
I've been wishing to start practising meditation. Since this book had sufficiently shown its benefits as a medication for addiction, I will delay no further.
July 4, 2018
I found it enlightening even though I've read a lot about these topics. It's a history of Dr. Brewer's research and how he came to build mindfulness apps to work through addictive habits.
I've been using "Eat Right Now" for about 5 weeks now and it didn't only change my relationship to food, it made me aware and empowered about a lot of habits, including how I relate to others.
The book is not a self-help manual. If you want help, get one of the apps from "Claritas" and work through the exercises (just a few minutes per day). I have read a ton, but without actual exercises it's just like reading about exercise physiology and expecting to build muscle.
I've been using "Eat Right Now" for about 5 weeks now and it didn't only change my relationship to food, it made me aware and empowered about a lot of habits, including how I relate to others.
The book is not a self-help manual. If you want help, get one of the apps from "Claritas" and work through the exercises (just a few minutes per day). I have read a ton, but without actual exercises it's just like reading about exercise physiology and expecting to build muscle.
May 7, 2017
Great book. No time for a review :-(
May 12, 2022
3.5 stars
While this is an interesting book about using Mindfulness techniques to overcome cravings and addictions, at times this felt a little too self-indulgent on the part of Brewer.
While this is an interesting book about using Mindfulness techniques to overcome cravings and addictions, at times this felt a little too self-indulgent on the part of Brewer.
May 22, 2022
Tolles Buch! Schon der Titel hat mich sehr interessiert und ich war ganz gespannt. Judson Brewer ist ein wirklich beeindruckender Arzt und Neurowissenschaftler, der die Fallen und Süchte im Alltag wirklich sehr gut aufgreift, die uns teilweise alle betreffen. Wirklich sehr interessant und aufschlussreich. Sehr zu empfehlen!
August 25, 2018
This checked a lot of boxes for my preferred nonfiction reading, with lots of good review from past reads on habits, addiction, brain function, and mindfulness.
The book has been described by others as accessible, and I guess it is, especially in comparison to what I imagine the scholarly articles and books referenced in his notes would be like. But I still found it challenging, and I can’t I say I completely understood every concept he introduced. Even though it had a diagram and everything, I still didn’t completely get dependent origination, for example. Thankfully, I don’t think that was vital to getting something out of the book.
He spent Part 1 giving examples of different types of habits and addictions, and those chapters were interesting, especially the idea of addiction to self. In Part 2, he shared his ideas for how a mindful approach can be used to break habits and addictions. I thought chapter 10—Training Resilience—was the best chapter in this section, and if he’d lost me a bit during the previous chapter, this one brought me back.
The main idea is to use your triggers or stressors as a compass to see which way you’re going and its ultimate destination. In other words, instead of fighting against what’s happening, you take a closer look, and a closer look at how you’re inclined to react, instead of just mindlessly reacting. His idea is that doing so will free you up to choose a different action than what’s been your default. One thing I really want to retain is the following passage:
I read it at chapter-a-day speed, which was about my limit on how much I could absorb at a time.
Recommended.
The book has been described by others as accessible, and I guess it is, especially in comparison to what I imagine the scholarly articles and books referenced in his notes would be like. But I still found it challenging, and I can’t I say I completely understood every concept he introduced. Even though it had a diagram and everything, I still didn’t completely get dependent origination, for example. Thankfully, I don’t think that was vital to getting something out of the book.
He spent Part 1 giving examples of different types of habits and addictions, and those chapters were interesting, especially the idea of addiction to self. In Part 2, he shared his ideas for how a mindful approach can be used to break habits and addictions. I thought chapter 10—Training Resilience—was the best chapter in this section, and if he’d lost me a bit during the previous chapter, this one brought me back.
The main idea is to use your triggers or stressors as a compass to see which way you’re going and its ultimate destination. In other words, instead of fighting against what’s happening, you take a closer look, and a closer look at how you’re inclined to react, instead of just mindlessly reacting. His idea is that doing so will free you up to choose a different action than what’s been your default. One thing I really want to retain is the following passage:
When starting any type of un-or antiresistance training...we can apply these three types of gym metrics to our reactivity throughout the day. How often do we react by taking something personally?...How heavy is the burden, meaning, how contracted do we get? And finally, How long do we carry it around? Gaining a clear view of our reactivity will naturally point us to its opposite: letting go.
I read it at chapter-a-day speed, which was about my limit on how much I could absorb at a time.
Recommended.
October 31, 2023
Given that I am absolutely the target audience for this book, I sure didn't like it much. I meditate all the time, I still struggle with my addictions, I'm interested in the underlying theory, I'm deeply interested in the connections between Buddhism, neuroscience, and behavioral psychology. The problem is the book just isn't all the good --- it's a short book but it's a repetitive slog. Brewer seems like a legit scientist in terms of actually pushing forward fMRI studies of meditation, so yay.
The central thesis seems to be (I don't think it was laid out as clearly as I'd hope, and I'm probably filling in my own preconceptions here) that we have a standard mode of adaptation that corresponds to Skinnerian reward-based learning, that the modern world contains lots of things (social media, pornography, cigarettes, food) that hijack that mechanism and get us addicted, and that mindfulness (achieved via meditation) allows us to "go up a level" and observe the craving, which in turn gives us a better chance of unlearning it.
The theory seems sound as far as it goes, and the book claims the experimental evidence favors it. I've been meditating seriously for about 32 months as of this writing, and I've experienced massive positive changes in my character, my emotional well-being, and my way of being, and yet I'm basically still struggling with the same addictions I was struggling with before I started. The book didn't particularly have any new advice for me. So I guess I can say it doesn't always work for everyone? ("60% of the time, it works every time.")
The central thesis seems to be (I don't think it was laid out as clearly as I'd hope, and I'm probably filling in my own preconceptions here) that we have a standard mode of adaptation that corresponds to Skinnerian reward-based learning, that the modern world contains lots of things (social media, pornography, cigarettes, food) that hijack that mechanism and get us addicted, and that mindfulness (achieved via meditation) allows us to "go up a level" and observe the craving, which in turn gives us a better chance of unlearning it.
The theory seems sound as far as it goes, and the book claims the experimental evidence favors it. I've been meditating seriously for about 32 months as of this writing, and I've experienced massive positive changes in my character, my emotional well-being, and my way of being, and yet I'm basically still struggling with the same addictions I was struggling with before I started. The book didn't particularly have any new advice for me. So I guess I can say it doesn't always work for everyone? ("60% of the time, it works every time.")
May 27, 2017
I won this in a Goodreads giveaway.
Very good book. More proof that Mindfulness is a skill we all need.
Very good book. More proof that Mindfulness is a skill we all need.
January 17, 2018
The way the author clearly describes the neuroscience behind our patterns makes so much sense. His definition of addiction is "repeated use despite adverse consequences"; this makes addiction possibly applicable to many things in our lives - even thinking. Even love. I found myself stopping the audiobook to jot notes in my phone, then got the book from the library so I could go back to certain chapters. For example, a child who is raised with no predictable rules of engagement does not develop a sense of self; therefore, he is consistently in simulation overdrive, trying to find an outcome which would make him feel loved, or at least, alive. (!!! what?! wow) The concept of addiction causing a person to confuse excitement with joy - this is absolutely fascinating to me. I will revisit this book frequently.
October 4, 2017
Alkatīgs, alkatīgs man tas prāts. Lasa alkatīgi, mācās alkatīgi, alkatīgi vēlas atbrīvoties no alkatības. Atkarīgs no domāšanas, no raizēm, no fantāzijām. Ne es pirmā, ne pēdējā, ne vienīgā tāda. Tas mierina. Arī doma, ka ir ceļš, kā būt mierā ar sevi, sevī un dzīvē - ir mierinoša. Es noticu Džatsonam Brūeram. Darīšu, kā viņš saka, negaidīšu neko, būšu ar sevi un ļaušos dzīves, prāta un emociju plūdumam un pārejošajai dabai. Patika. Vai iesaku? Nu... dariet, kā gribat ;) Bet pati gan esmu priecīga, ka izlasīju :P
October 31, 2019
I liked it at first, then it started to irritate me, partly because I was listening to the audiobook. My biggest take-away is that the author has accomplished so much and gone on many meditation retreats. Yup. Got it. And yeah, I know he went to Yale. He mentioned it several times. Found all of his personal stories distracting from the actual purpose of his book.
I hope his apps work for people. They sound promising.
I hope his apps work for people. They sound promising.
October 31, 2017
I'm glad I read this because it was very interesting--the "Why We Get Hooked." But it doesn't really cover the "How We Can Break Bad Habits." He doesn't really address that part until the end of the book when he talks about his programs that you can pay to participate in.
June 15, 2017
A very thorough, interesting look at habit formation and addiction from a scientific standpoint.
January 12, 2023
Yale. Yale. Yale. I'm amazing, I'm enlightened, yaleyaleyale. Just a bunch of self entitled braggery in my opinion
September 21, 2019
Відгук на цю книгу мав би бути хорошим, однак маю кілька суттєвих зауважень. Скажу навіть більше, ця книга і особливо український переклад просто розчарували у мені науковця.
1) переклад наповнений помилками, неточностями. За наявності у переліку аж трьох редакторів це виглядає дуже дивно. На жаль відсутня наукова редакція - а це важливо для такої літератури.
2) прізвища у тексті перекладено неправильно, що свідчить радше необізнаність перекладача у темі. Дратує те, що тема дуже актуальна, потрібна і "гаряча" на Заході, а завдяки таким перекладам формується радше негативне враження і неадекватне сприйняття. Поняттєво переклад дуже непевний, є грубі помилки у буддійських термінах.
3) щодо самого тексту та автора, то зміст відійшов від заданої теми доволі швидко. Автору краще було написати без претензії на науковість, радше на мемуаристику власної практики. Підхід книги обмежено бігевіоризмом, редукціонізмом і просто обмежено автором для підтримки своєї основної ідеї - майндфулнес це круто (але й тут немає точного окреслення поняття чи руху). Текст просто обмежений, а міг би бути хорошим і корисним для багатьох людей, які мають труднощі із залежностями.
Це друга книга видавництва (перша - Технологія промивання мізків Ліфтона), де помітно халатність редакторів до тексту, який йде в друк. Мабуть із книгами цього видавництва я поки зупиню своє знайомство.
1) переклад наповнений помилками, неточностями. За наявності у переліку аж трьох редакторів це виглядає дуже дивно. На жаль відсутня наукова редакція - а це важливо для такої літератури.
2) прізвища у тексті перекладено неправильно, що свідчить радше необізнаність перекладача у темі. Дратує те, що тема дуже актуальна, потрібна і "гаряча" на Заході, а завдяки таким перекладам формується радше негативне враження і неадекватне сприйняття. Поняттєво переклад дуже непевний, є грубі помилки у буддійських термінах.
3) щодо самого тексту та автора, то зміст відійшов від заданої теми доволі швидко. Автору краще було написати без претензії на науковість, радше на мемуаристику власної практики. Підхід книги обмежено бігевіоризмом, редукціонізмом і просто обмежено автором для підтримки своєї основної ідеї - майндфулнес це круто (але й тут немає точного окреслення поняття чи руху). Текст просто обмежений, а міг би бути хорошим і корисним для багатьох людей, які мають труднощі із залежностями.
Це друга книга видавництва (перша - Технологія промивання мізків Ліфтона), де помітно халатність редакторів до тексту, який йде в друк. Мабуть із книгами цього видавництва я поки зупиню своє знайомство.
May 15, 2020
Хай би як мені подобався підхід - подолання залежностей усвідомленістю - книгу не рекоменую (затягнута, дуже засереджена на особі автора, могла б бути втричі коротша без втрат, місцями дивний переклад), краще гляньте його тед-ток і медитуйте
https://www.ted.com/talks/judson_brew...
https://www.ted.com/talks/judson_brew...
March 8, 2024
Thoroughly researched, especially Chapter 2 on technology addiction.
October 14, 2024
This had some interesting studies and would be a good book if you’re interested in the topic!
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