Neuroscience: The New Science of Craving

Recently, a book club invited me to discuss my new book, The Biology of Desire: Your Brain and Behavior. Members reflected on their cravings for food, alcohol, work, social media and approval. What surprised them was how craving felt so personal, even moral, as though it reflected their character. 

Yet research shows craving is both a biological process and a relational experience. The brain’s chemistry sets the conditions for desire, but relationships—culture, attachment and context—give it direction.

Their questions may sound familiar: Why do certain urges feel almost impossible to resist, even when you "know better?" Why do some cravings soften in the presence of a kind friend and intensify in moments of loneliness or rejection? Modern neuroscience and psychology are beginning to answer these questions in ways that reduce shame and expand your sense of agency.

Please select this link to read the complete article from Psychology Today.