Craving (eBook)

The Tenacity of Craving, Excerpted from Craving

'What is allowed us is disagreeable, what is denied us causes us intense desire.'--Orvid

Many of the people I have worked with over the years point out how stubborn cravings are. They often describe the sense that something has sunk its teeth into them and is not letting go. The harder they tug to try to remove it, the deeper the bite. Many of my patients describe this as wanting what they cannot have.

But we don't always want what we can't have... What you believe about the reason you can't have something affects whether or not you want it. If you believe that the primary power that controls your life is also the primary reason you can't have something, you want it more. This has significant implication when it comes to cravings, because it means that if you can develop a different perspective about why you are experiencing cravings, you may be able to reduce the depth of the bite. In my successful patients who believe in a higher power, when they experience cravings, they don't blame God. They simply describe it as a part of their illness that they can diminish or alleviate by talking with others and practicing their programs.

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A nationally recognized expert on compulsive behaviors explains the phenomenon of craving and gives us tools to achieve freedom from our seemingly insatiable desires by changing our actions to remap our brains.When we find ourselves wanting something strong enough, we'll do just about anything to get it--sometimes at the expense of our bodies, brains, bank accounts, and relationships. So why do we sometimes have the irrepressible feeling that we need something--such as food, cigarettes, alcohol, or sex--that we really just want? And how do we satiate that feeling without indulging it? In Craving, Omar Manejwala, M.D., translates the neurobiology of this phenomenon into real and accessible terms, explaining why we just can't seem to get enough. He then gives us tools and guidance to find satisfaction without giving in to our cravings. Dr. Manejwala explains: how and why our brain drives behavior; how to change the part of our brain that fuels our cravings; the warning signs that craving is evolving into addiction; why craving is the most difficult component of addiction to address; and why self-help and spiritual groups that use models like the Twelve Steps are so effective at changing behaviors, receiving encouragement, and remaining accountable.