Day 4 - Mind and Life XXVII - Craving, Desire and Addiction

Dr Matthieu Ricard

Dr Wendy Farley

You can view the videos here.

The point of this summary is not to replace the complete video and nor is it fully comprehensive, but rather the intention is to give a brief overview of proceedings so as to assist the reader in determining which sessions they would like to watch in full. 

Day Four of Mind and Life XXVII - Matthieu Ricard discusses From Craving to Freedom and Flourishing: Buddhist Perspectives on Desire and Dr Wendy Farley talks about Contemplative Christianity, Desire and Addiction.

Day 3 - Mind and Life XXVII - Craving, Desire and Addiction

Dr Nora Volkow

Dr Vibeke Amussen Frank

You can view the videos here.

The point of this summary is not to replace the complete video and nor is it fully comprehensive, but rather the intention is to give a brief overview of proceedings so as to assist the reader in determining which sessions they would like to watch in full. 

The third day of Mind & Life XXVII - Dr Laura Volkow talks about The Role of Dopamine in the Addicted Human Brain and Dr Vibeke Amussen Frank follows with Beyond the Individual: The Role of Society and Culture in Addiction.

Day 2 - Mind and Life XXVII - Craving, Desire and Addiction

Dr Kent Berridge

Dr Thupten Jinpa

You can view the videos here.

The point of this summary is not to replace the complete video and nor is it fully comprehensive, but rather the intention is to give a brief overview of proceedings so as to assist the reader in determining which sessions they would like to watch in full.

The second  day of Mind & Life XXVII - Kent Berridge talks about Brain Generators of Intense Wanting and Liking followed by Thupten Jinpa presenting Psychology of Desire: A Buddhist Perspective.

The day got off to a light-hearted start with Dr Richard Davidson putting single marshmallows in front of the delegates, offering them two if they could resist. This was in response to the discussions about delay discounting and restraint on day one. His Holiness (HH) wanted to know if he could get three if he waited 15 minutes!

Day 1 - Mind & Life XXVII - Craving, Desire and Addiction

Dr Marc Lewis

Dr Richard Davidson

You can view the videos on HERE.

The point of this summary is not to replace the complete video and nor is it fully comprehensive, but rather the intention is to give a brief overview of proceedings so as to assist the reader in determining which sessions they would like to watch in full.

I would also strongly recommend visiting Marc's blog where he will be offering his first-hand insights into the experience.

The first day of the XXVII Mind & Life gathering includes an introduction and establishment of context by Arthur Zajonic, Diana Chapman Walsh and Richard Davidson. In the afternoon session Dr Marc Lewis, author of Memoirs of an Addicted Brain, spoke about Craving, Dopamine and the Cycle of Addictive behaviour.

October 2013 Newsletter

It's almost the end of the year. In our setting, because we are moving into summer and festivities, this usually sees a drop in those seeking help for their substance use issues, but often their is a brief spike shortly after new year as resolutions are made and the after-effects of the partying are felt! I recently attended the Dan Siegel Interpersonal Neurobiology workshop that was held in Cape Town, hence the photo. In this month's edition of Addiction Information we hope to spark some thought around some controversial topics, but one topic that should become less controversial is that of opioid substitution therapy, for which their seems to be mounting evidence as a stand-alone treatment modality.

We look at: An opioid addiction switch, Behavioural Interventions and Buprenorphine Maintenance, Chronic Care, Remission Rates, Choice and Will Power, Dr Dan Siegel and the Mind & Life Conference.

August 2013 Newsletter

This newsletter was delayed, but I have a reasonably good excuse. I had a heart attack. Not to be put down by something minor, I used the opportunity to find out how much emergency room personnel know about addiction. Not very much it appears! I wrote about it in this piece: Substance Use Knowledge Amongst Emergency Room and General Medical Personnel. I am back at the office and its business as usual, which in the addiction field is anything but usual. Hope you enjoy this months newsletter, because it very nearly didn't happen!

This time we talk about: The Reward Pathway of Opioid Addiction, Does Maintenance Therapy Need Counselling?, The Scottish Review of Methadone Treatment, Is One Too many?, The Multistep Theory of Transition to Addiction, Internet Addiction, Scott Kellogg.

Famous for Being Homeless

I went viral. I wrote a seemingly innocuous anonymous letter to the press about being homeless and it received over 60 000 views and 700 shares from one facebook page alone. It was suggested that I did not exist and that the journalist who read out my letter on air had made me up, so I decided to "out" myself. Since then I have been sought for interviews in the press and on radio. I am not necessarily comfortable with all this media exposure, but if it can help give the marginalised a voice, I will use it. Hopefully this will help me bring the issues that are on my heart regarding addictive disorders and mental health into the public consciousness and promote debate. Here is the story: