Addiction: Why Your Brain Resists Change (Part 2)
5/21/202650 min
Can you really rewire your brain after years of addiction? Dr. Judson Brewer explains the science of neuroplasticity and the secret to unlearning any habit.
In this second installment, host Terry Maguire continues the conversation with world-renowned psychiatrist and neuroscientist Dr. Judson Brewer (Dr. Jud). We explore why habits are formed to help us survive and how those same mechanisms can be hijacked by addiction . Dr. Jud explains the Default Mode Network and why it's the "home base" for cravings, worry, and rumination .
Find mental health and addiction treatment near you: https://recovery.com/
Dr. Jud is the New York Times bestselling author of Unwinding Anxiety and The Craving Mind and currently serves as a researcher and clinician. In this episode, he breaks down why smartphones are essentially "pocket slot machines" that use intermittent reinforcement to keep us hooked . He also debunks the 21-day habit myth and shares laboratory data showing that reward values can actually shift in as few as 5 to 15 mindfully aware experiences.
Learn how to step out of the "shame loop" and into a "learning loop" by using curiosity as a clinical intervention . We discuss the HALT method (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired) for identifying stress triggers and the neuroscience behind why meeting a need is always better than feeding a want . Whether it’s substance use, social media, or problematic eating, Dr. Jud proves that everything is recoverable if it is a habit.
Chapters:
00:00 – [Intro]
01:09 – Defining Addiction: Continued Use Despite Consequences
05:26 – Why Addiction is Not a Moral Failure
08:30 – The Default Mode Network & Brain Cravings
13:47 – How to Rewire Your Brain After Years of Use
20:13 – The 21-Day Habit Myth Debunked
27:14 – Are Cell Phones "Pocket Slot Machines"?
33:32 – Dealing with Slips and the "Shame Loop"
43:12 – How Mindfulness Rewires the Brain
51:18 – Dr. Jud's Advice for Loving Someone with Addiction
Questions the Video Answers:
What actually happens in the brain during a craving?
Is it really possible to unlearn any habit?
What is the Default Mode Network in the brain?
Why do slot machines and phones get us addicted?
How many times does it take to change a reward value?
Does a single slip mean I’m back at square one?
Can mindfulness help with addiction recovery?
What is the HALT method for stress management?
Why does curiosity help stop a craving?
Is addiction primarily about choice or survival?
How long does the brain take to form a new habit?
What is "Intermittent Reinforcement"?
How do parents protect their teenager's brain?
How do medications like methadone affect receptors?
Why is "meeting a need" better than "feeding a want"?
#Neuroscience #AddictionRecovery #HabitChange
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsJudson Brewer· Guest0:00
Any habit that can be learned can be unlearned World-renowned psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and best-selling author Dr.
Speaker 10:07
Judson Brewer shares his groundbreaking research on what works to break cycles of addiction and anxiety.
Terri McGuire· Host0:14
We're talking about addictions and things that people can believe aren't recoverable.
Judson Brewer· Guest0:19
Everything's recoverable- Mm ... if it's a habit. Everything.
Terri McGuire· Host0:22
Welcome to Recoverable. I'm your host, Terri McGuire. We continue our discussion today with Dr. Judson Brewer about the neuroscience of addiction. Welcome back. And you, welcome back.
Judson Brewer· Guest0:36
Thank you.
Terri McGuire· Host0:36
I'm really grateful for this conversation and the gift you have for explaining it with all of your experience, all of your research, all of your studies, all of your clinical work, and you can still break it down in a way that even I can understand. [laughs] So thank you. Speaking of which, let's talk briefly... I mean, I always hesitate to get really into the science of it because I don't have that kind of brain, and smoke will come out of my ears, which might be visible on set. But if you can explain what actually happens in the brain when someone is in a situation that there's an addiction present.
Judson Brewer· Guest1:09
Sure. So let's start with a definition of addiction.
Terri McGuire· Host1:12
Okay.
Judson Brewer· Guest1:13
So continued use despite adverse consequences.
Terri McGuire· Host1:16
Mm-hmm.
Judson Brewer· Guest1:16
That's the definition I learned in residency and I still use today. I think it's very useful.
Terri McGuire· Host1:21
Mm-hmm.
Judson Brewer· Guest1:21
And one thing that that highlights is it's not about a substance or a chemical or a, some specific thing that we're putting into our body. It could also