New Addiction Book Combines Science And Personal Experience

There is no shortage of books about addiction. They follow a predictable pattern leading from despair to triumph and they tug at our heart strings. The book by Dr. Marc Lewis is a bit different though. His degree in neuroscience and his addiction to heroin and experiences with other drugs combine to present the science behind his journey.

As it says in the introduction, “This book brings the brain and human experience together, by telling the story of my descent into drug addiction, interspersed with lessons on the brain and its workings drawn from contemporary neuroscience.”

Here we finally have something that bridges the gap between the often-too-complex brain chemistry and the all too familiar tragedy of addiction. It’s written with the lay reader in mind and gives a powerful, authentic way for addicts to understand what is happening to them, just as Dr. Lewis did.

In a sense, “Memoirs of an Addicted Brain” is both a teacher and a counselor. By having trod the path of addiction, the author can speak with authenticity. And with his training in neuroscience, can take what he felt, and what all addicts feel, into the realm of medical knowledge. The process is empowering for addicts and the ones they love.

Even if you don’t read the book, the author’s blog is worth taking in. It isn’t often enough that we find direct and compelling stories from the highly trained. His book reminds us that the ivory tower is populated by those as human and as fallible as we are. In the end, it reminds us that some will make it through and emerge out the other end of addiction.

For those on the edge of addiction, or suffering from pseudo-addictions (shopping, Internet and others) it’s worthwhile to see how well you can identify what is shown here. There is a great deal of overlap and smearing between categories of addiction, and each addict has to look at their own lives as they find them. This book will help you understand what it means to be an addict at multiple levels – an excellent read.