[Book Summary] The Craving Mind—Judson Brewer

Rating: ★★★☆☆

(Written with aid of ChatGPT.)

The Craving Mind: From Cigarettes to Smartphones to Love—Why We Get Hooked and How We Can Break Bad Habits is an exploration of the science behind habit formation and addiction. Dr. Judson Brewer delves into how our brains develop cravings and how mindfulness can be a powerful tool to overcome them.

Brewer explains that habits form through a cycle of trigger, behavior, and reward. For example, stress (trigger) might lead to smoking (behavior) to achieve relaxation (reward). Over time, these loops become ingrained, making behaviors automatic. And the trigger may change from stress to time, so some people need to grab a smoke every few hours.

Rather than relying on willpower, Brewer advocates for mindfulness to disrupt these loops. By becoming aware of the triggers and the actual rewards (or lack thereof), individuals can make conscious choices to change their behaviors. After all, Willpower doesn't work as mentioned in [Book Summary] Willpower Doesn't Work—Benjamin Hardy.

While the writing style is somewhat disjointed at times, the book provides a valuable framework for understanding and addressing the cravings that influence our behaviors.