There are two main dopamine models of addiction. 1. one that says dopamine increases in the addiction cycle leading to a “pathological wanting” 2. That dopamine decreases so that addicted people are seeking more dopamine. As you can see these two models are diametrically opposing and seemingly irreconcilable. 1. […]
In our previous blog on we looked at automatic physiological response to cues that alcoholics appear to experience. These habitual responses are well explained by reinforcement, conditioning or neurobiological models of addiction. However, do these neurobiological models predict relapse in abstinent alcoholics and addicts? Factors in relapse Cues, […]
In the first of a three part series of blogs we discuss “what is craving?” and consider whether the emotional dysregulation we consider to be at the heart of alcoholism and addiction also plays a role in both craving and relapse. We start this series by considering the neurobiological accounts […]
Most alcoholics have difficulties with emotional and stress regulation.
As we have already suggested we feel that two main modifications need to be considered in relation to existing ‘conditioning’ theories of addiction : – 1. In neurobiological accounts of addiction there is no such thing as a positive or a negative reinforcement model of addiction or, in […]
Recent Comments