The Craving Mind: Why We Get Hooked and How We Can Break Bad Habits

By Judson Brewer

A leading neuroscientist's internationally acclaimed account of how addiction works and can be overcome, now in a ten-year anniversary edition

In this landmark book, psychiatrist and neuroscientist Judson Brewer, M.D., Ph.D. ("Dr. Jud") reveals how and why people become addicted--to cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, food, technology, and more--and how they might break free of cycles of addiction. Weaving together patient stories, personal stories, and scientific findings from his lab, he

- shows how the same learning processes that once helped our species survive have hardened over time into bad habits;
- examines how craving, addiction, and habit loops have intensified due to smartphones, social media, and algorithm-driven environments;
- expands our understanding of addiction and anxiety, revealing how substances, technology, outrage, and worry all follow identical habit-forming learning mechanisms--and why willpower isn't the solution;
- emphasizes curiosity and awareness as tools for breaking habits and reclaiming choice in a world designed to keep us stuck.

Now updated with a new preface, Brewer's revolutionary book shows us how to move from a craving mind to one that is capable of being present, curious, and kind.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0300292872
• ISBN13: 9780300292879
• Release Date: January 2027
• Publisher: Yale University Press
• Length: 264 Pages