Why is it that we know what we want but can
rarely seem to achieve our goals? What
undermines us every time? As a
psychiatrist who has run several rehabs and an addiction expert who has helped
thousands of people change their habits and get back on track, the answer is
simple: cravings. Cravings make us smoke
“just one puff” when we’re trying to quit.
Cravings make us “cheat” on our diets.
Cravings lead us back into the casino if we’re gamblers, or back to the
bar if we’re alcoholic. Why do we let
that happen? How can we stop them?
Cravings are intense urges that are very
uncomfortable to resist. They often feel
like they are going to last forever unless they are satisfied. They trick us into believing that “this time
will be different”, or “I deserve this”, or even “one time can’t hurt.” They are powerful thoughts and feelings that
drive our behavior in ways that are clearly against our self-interest. Where do they come from and how can we stop
them?
Well, that’s exactly why I wrote Craving: Why We Can’t Seem to Get Enough
(Hazelden Pub. 2013). As an
addiction psychiatrist I saw heartbreaking examples of people giving up just as
they were starting to get successful, families torn apart and jobs lost, all
because of cravings and their effects. I
saw people spend thousands of dollars on miracle “cures”, geographic cures
(moving away to try and fix the problem), and fads. Most of these efforts were misguided,
although at the time they seemed sensible to the person who was suffering with
the cravings. The people I was helping
truly believed their problem was the sugar (or the alcohol, or the gambling, or
the smoking) and couldn’t see past that to learn that the craved object was
really just a symptom of a deeper need that couldn’t ever be met with “one
more donut.”
In Craving, I review the complex causes of
cravings (the brain science and psychology behind cravings, the powerful social
forces that affect cravings and even the genetics of cravings) and then explore
what we really know about what works to kick them. Strategies that have published,
peer-reviewed, scientific support are emphasized, and myths are debunked. The book contains practical suggestions that
a reader could use to immediately begin to gain control over their cravings and
achieve their goals.
Many of the
suggestions are counterintuitive (did you know that mindfulness meditation has
been shown to reduce cravings?), but all of the suggestions are grounded in
science. What you won’t find is a suggestion to use this or that supplement, or some
piece of fitness equipment or a magic juicer.
As a psychiatrist I have reviewed thousands of articles on addictions
and cravings. In many of the cases, I
spoke directly with the researchers who conducted the cravings studies to clarify what exactly their research
showed. In Craving I distill those down to the essential suggestions that can
make a difference in your cravings and help you get on your way to recovery.
Omar S. Manejwala, M.D.
Preview Craving on Amazon
Omar Manejwala, M.D., is the senior vice president and chief medical officer of Catasys in Los Angeles, California, and is the former medical director at Hazelden Foundation. Dr. Manejwala is a transformative public speaker and appears frequently in the national media to address the topic of addiction.
Find out more at www.cravingbook.com
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