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Unbroken Brain


Book: Unbroken Brain, by Maia Szalavitz. A revolutionary new way of understanding addiction,

More people than ever before see themselves as addicted to, or recovering from, addiction, whether it be alcohol or drugs, prescription meds, sex, gambling, porn, or the internet. But despite the unprecedented attention, our understanding of addiction is trapped in unfounded 20th century ideas, thinking of addiction as a crime or as a brain disease - and in equally outdated treatment.


Challenging both the idea of the addict’s "broken brain" and the notion of a simple "addictive personality," The New York Times Bestseller, Unbroken Brain, offers a radical and ground breaking new perspective, arguing that addictions are learning disorders and shows how seeing the condition this way can untangle our current debates over treatment, prevention and policy.


Like autistic traits, addictive behaviours fall on a spectrum - and they can be a normal response to an extreme situation. By illustrating what addiction is, and is not, the book illustrates how timing, history, family, peers, culture and chemicals come together to create both illness and recovery - and why there is no "addictive personality" or single treatment that works for all.

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