Includes bibliographical references (pages 289-322) and index.

"More people than ever before see themselves as addicted to, or recovering from, addiction, whether it be alcohol or drugs, prescription meds, sex, gambling, porn, or the internet. But despite the unprecedented attention, our understanding of addiction is trapped in unfounded 20th century ideas, addiction as a crime or as brain disease, and in equally outdated treatment. Challenging both the idea of the addict's "broken brain" and the notion of a simple "addictive personality," Unbroken Brain offers a radical and groundbreaking new perspective, arguing that addictions are learning disorders and shows how seeing the condition this way can untangle our current debates over treatment, prevention and policy. Like autistic traits, addictive behaviors fall on a spectrum -- and they can be a normal response to an extreme situation. By illustrating what addiction is, and is not, the book illustrates how timing, history, family, peers, culture and chemicals come together to create both illness and recovery- and why there is no "addictive personality" or single treatment that works for all. Combining Maia's personal story with a distillation of more than 25 years of science and research, Unbroken Brain provides a paradigm-shifting approach to thinking about addiction"-- Provided by publisher.

Needle point -- A history of addiction -- The nature of addiction -- Intense world -- The myth of the addictive personality -- Labels -- Hell is junior high school -- Transitive nightfall -- On dope and dopamine -- Set and setting -- Love and addiction -- Risky business -- Busted -- The problem with bottom -- Antisocial behavior -- The 12-step conundrum -- Harm reduction -- The Kiwi approach -- Teaching recovery -- Neurodiversity and the future of addiction.