Some very relatable moments. Makes my challenges seem more normal… at least explainable. ( )

Just excellent. ( )

Unusual combination of memoir and brain science. The memoir tells Marc Lewis’s personal story of addiction, which began in boarding school and continued in college in the Berkeley drug scene of the 1960s. The ambiance of the 1960s counterculture is vividly depicted. He also describes his drug-related experiences in Malaysia, India, and Canada. His drug usage results in his arrest for theft and, eventually, in recovery. What makes this memoir unusual is that it is interspersed with a description of what is occurring inside his brain when he ingests these substances. Marc Lewis is a neuroscientist. He articulates the biological and chemical processes underlying addiction.

I found this book fascinating. It describes the biological interactions in the brain, such as the functions of orbitofrontal cortex, ventral striatum, dopamine receptors, glutamates, and the like. He explains the natural opioids that occur in our bodies, and how a lack of these, which are triggered by a variety of sociological and interpersonal factors, may lead to addiction.

I learned a great deal from this book. The memoir portion is absorbing. I think it could have included a bit more about his recovery. The science is informative. I enjoy reading widely in the fields of psychology, brain science, and addiction, and very much enjoyed this one.
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The fascinating memoires of an ex-drugs addict who became a neuro-scientist. ( )

Dit is het levensverhaal van Marc Lewis, expert op het gebied van verslaving en succesvol hersenwetenschapper, die 30 jaar geleden zijn drugsverslaving overwon. Hij doet zijn ervaringen met drugs, van hoestsiroop tot lsd en heroïne, uit de doeken. Als hersenwetenschapper geeft Lewis een opvallende analyse van het psychologische en neurologische gebeuren achter zijn verslaving. Op begrijpelijke wijze beschrijft hij de werking van verschillende verslavingen. Hij stelt dat ons brein zo gevoelig is voor verslaving omdat het voortdurend op zoek gaat naar beloning en manieren om de pijn te verzachten. ( )