Awards

• Joint winner of Goodreads Choice Awards Best Science & Technology 2019 (United States)

Overview

A former drug addict turned behavioural neuroscientist reveals how drugs work in the brain — and what we can do to fight addiction. Judith Grisel was a daily drug user when she began to consider that her addiction might have a cure, one that she herself could perhaps discover by studying the brain. Now, after twenty-five years as a neuroscientist, she shares what she and other scientists have learned about addiction, enriched by captivating glimpses of her personal journey. In Never Enough, Grisel reveals the unfortunate bottom line of all regular drug use: there is no such thing as a free lunch. All drugs act on the brain in a way that diminishes their enjoyable effects and creates unpleasant ones with repeated use. Delving into the science of one of the world’s most pressing health problems, she reveals what is different about the brains of addicts even before they first pick up a drink or drug, and highlights the changes that take place in the brain and behaviour as a result of chronic using. With compassion and clarity, Grisel describes what drove her to addiction, what helped her recover, and her belief that a ‘cure’ for addiction will not be found in our individual brains but in the way we interact with our communities.

Full Product Details

9781912854578

Table of Contents

Reviews

`A timely, educational blend of neuroscience and memoir ... Now a professor and scientist, Grisel is a compassionate and empathetic guide to the hard science behind drug use.' * BookPage * `With knowledge and compassion, Grisel's work straddles two worlds - that of scientists and former addicts, and is recommended for anyone interesting in furthering their understanding of addiction.' * Library Journal * `Many scientists write about addiction, but how many are former addicts? Psychology professor Grisel mixes coverage of brain research with the warts-and-all story of her addictions, beginning with alcohol in seventh grade and progressing to marijuana, LSD, cocaine, and IV drug use ... Powerful stuff' * Booklist * `Grisel, a behavioural neuroscientist and Bucknell psychology professor, examines the complexities of addiction in this personal account of a decade of substance abuse ... Weaving anecdotes of her ordeal - some funny, others embarrassing - with basic brain science, she explains how drugs work, why some are more effective than others, and how addicts differ from non-addicts.' * Publishers Weekly * `Grisel's account of her wayward early 20s, chasing one high after another, is harrowing ... She writes clearly and unsparingly about both her experiences and the science of addiction - tobacco and caffeine figure in, as well - making plain that there is still much that remains unknown or mysterious about the brain's workings. In the end, she notes, much of our present culture, which shuns pain and favors avoidance, is made up of 'tools of addiction.' Illuminating reading for those seeking to understand the whos, hows, and wherefores of getting hooked.' * Kirkus * `It is rare to have a book on addiction marry emotional and scientific views. Never Enough sends a message of hope in relaying Judith Grisel's pathway out of her own drug quagmire - notably, one triggered by the positive and compassionate responses of those near and dear to her.' * Christopher J. Evans, PhD, Director of Hatos Center for Neuropharmacology, UCLA * `Grisel is a recovering addict, a neuroscientist, and a talented writer. Who better to help us understand drug addiction? This book is as informative as it is moving. Here you will find clearly explained science and a gripping account of the personal and societal toll of drug addiction.' * Martha J. Farah, PhD, Director of Center for Neuroscience & Society, and Walter H. Annenberg Professor in the Natural Sciences, University of Pennsylvania * `Dr. Judith Grisel, a neuroscientist and a person in long term addiction recovery, juxtaposes stark examples from her own tortured past, methodically connecting each experience to the hard science of addiction neurobiology. Doing this captures our attention as we peer into one of the most complex puzzles of humankind. The science behind addiction comes alive in its sorrow and grandeur. When you pick up this book get ready for an intense ride.' * Paul H. Earley, MD, DFASAM; President-elect of American Society of Addiction Medicine *

`A timely, educational blend of neuroscience and memoir, Judith Grisel's Never Enough tackles the devastating problem of addiction. Current statistics speak to a dire state of affairs: Nearly 16 percent of the U.S. population over the age of 12 fits the criteria for substance abuse disorder. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has declared our current opioid epidemic to be a public health emergency. Drawing from her own experience as a recovering drug addict, Grisel is uniquely positioned to study the neuroscience of addiction. She understands both the allure of drugs and the devastation they leave in their wake. Indeed, it seems that the way she has managed to stay sober for over 25 years is to make the study of addiction her life's work. Now a professor and scientist, Grisel is a compassionate and empathetic guide to the hard science behind drug use. Chapter by chapter, Grisel examines the effects of different drugs on the human brain: alcohol, marijuana, stimulants, tranquilizers and psychedelics. Unfortunately for users, most of these operate by the opponent process theory, the idea that any stimulus to the brain will eventually be neutralized into its opposite. Simply put, the high gives way to the low. The brain adjusts to the dosage, and the withdrawal lasts longer than the desired effect, creating a vicious cycle of dependency and diminishing returns. How is it that some people can enjoy a drink and stop, while addicts can never have enough of their chosen substances? The answer involves genetics, environmental and social context and significant exposure to drugs, particularly during adolescence as the brain is developing. There are no easy solutions to the problems of addiction, but Grisel suggests that knowledge and kindness can go a long way. * BookPage * `Addiction is a pervasive problem of epic proportions both globally and in the United States, resulting in enormous financial cost and loss of life. Behavioural neuroscientist Grisel (psychology, Bucknell Univ.), who initially entered the profession with the goal of finding a cure for drug addiction after spending a decade as a hard-core addict herself, writes in an accessible style about how myriad drugs act on the brain. Alongside the scientific explanation are Grisel's remarkably candid descriptions of the effects of substance abuse, written with firsthand insight. Factors contributing to addiction include a genetic predisposition, as well as developmental and environmental influences - but anyone who experiences repeated exposure to mind-altering drugs is likely to develop a tolerance and subsequent dependence. Grisel offers a clear explanation of the neurobiology behind this process. VERDICT With knowledge and compassion, Grisel's work straddles two worlds - that of scientists and former addicts, and is recommended for anyone interesting in furthering their understanding of addiction.' * Library Journal * `Many scientists write about addiction, but how many are former addicts? Psychology professor Grisel mixes coverage of brain research with the warts-and-all story of her addictions, beginning with alcohol in seventh grade and progressing to marijuana, LSD, cocaine, and IV drug use. She also reveals that she contracted hepatitis C from sharing needles. Fortunately, she gets treatment and manages to stay clean, earn a PhD in behavioural neuroscience, and embark on an academic career. Many of her drug-using buddies were not so lucky; some even died. Addiction remains a vexing problem, with about 16 percent of the population over the age of 12 meeting the criteria for a substance-abuse disorder and about a quarter of all deaths attributed to excessive drug use. Successful recovery is no more likely than it was fifty years ago, she writes. Sure, opioids are a scourge, but she notes that in 2016, alcohol killed twice as many people as prescription opioids and heroin overdoses combined. Grisel's conclusion: Instead of wringing our hands, we might try holding one another's. Powerful stuff.' * Booklist * `A behavioural neuroscientist and a professor of psychology at Bucknell University, Grisel is also a former addict, which means she can explain not only the brain science behind addiction but the addict's actual experience. She takes us through how different drugs act on the infinitely adaptable brain and shows how the thrill of the occasional high turns into a ceaseless craving for the next fix: there is never enough. Grisel aims to clarify a more effective and more compassionate response to a crisis in which one in every five people over the age of 14 is addicted.' * Library Journal * `Grisel, a behavioural neuroscientist and Bucknell psychology professor, examines the complexities of addiction in this personal account of a decade of substance abuse from age 13 until 23, when I'd finally reached the dead end where I felt I was incapable of living either with or without mind-altering substances. Weaving anecdotes of her ordeal - some funny, others embarrassing - with basic brain science, she explains how drugs work, why some are more effective than others, and how addicts differ from nonaddicts. Lecturing on the dangers of drug use, she repeats over and over, there can never be enough drug because of the brain's ability to adapt. After six months in a treatment program - which she describes too briefly - she decides to become a neuroscientist and endures seven years of study while fighting off cravings for various drugs, until she can say, My life had changed 180 degrees. Not only did I have a shiny new Ph.D., but I was able to look people in the eye. Critical of social customs where drinks are offered as congratulations, she bemoans sobriety as lonely. Concluding that addiction is complicated, she offers some insight but unfortunately, if perhaps necessarily, leaves readers of her thoughtful book with no solutions to the many problems associated with addiction.' * Publishers Weekly * `Grisel's account of her wayward early 20s, chasing one high after another, is harrowing ... She writes clearly and unsparingly about both her experiences and the science of addiction - tobacco and caffeine figure in, as well - making plain that there is still much that remains unknown or mysterious about the brain's workings. In the end, she notes, much of our present culture, which shuns pain and favors avoidance, is made up of 'tools of addiction.' Illuminating reading for those seeking to understand the whos, hows, and wherefores of getting hooked.' * Kirkus * `It is rare to have a book on addiction marry emotional and scientific views. Never Enough sends a message of hope in relaying Judith Grisel's pathway out of her own drug quagmire - notably, one triggered by the positive and compassionate responses of those near and dear to her.' * Christopher J. Evans, PhD, Director of Hatos Center for Neuropharmacology, UCLA * `Grisel is a recovering addict, a neuroscientist, and a talented writer. Who better to help us understand drug addiction? This book is as informative as it is moving. Here you will find clearly explained science and a gripping account of the personal and societal toll of drug addiction.' * Martha J. Farah, PhD, Director of Center for Neuroscience & Society, and Walter H. Annenberg Professor in the Natural Sciences, University of Pennsylvania * `Dr. Judith Grisel, a neuroscientist and a person in long term addiction recovery, juxtaposes stark examples from her own tortured past, methodically connecting each experience to the hard science of addiction neurobiology. Doing this captures our attention as we peer into one of the most complex puzzles of humankind. The science behind addiction comes alive in its sorrow and grandeur. When you pick up this book get ready for an intense ride.' * Paul H. Earley, MD, DFASAM; President-elect of American Society of Addiction Medicine *

`A timely, educational blend of neuroscience and memoir ... Now a professor and scientist, Grisel is a compassionate and empathetic guide to the hard science behind drug use.' * BookPage * `With knowledge and compassion, Grisel's work straddles two worlds - that of scientists and former addicts, and is recommended for anyone interesting in furthering their understanding of addiction.' * Library Journal * `Many scientists write about addiction, but how many are former addicts? Psychology professor Grisel mixes coverage of brain research with the warts-and-all story of her addictions, beginning with alcohol in seventh grade and progressing to marijuana, LSD, cocaine, and IV drug use ... Powerful stuff' * Booklist * `A behavioural neuroscientist and a professor of psychology at Bucknell University, Grisel is also a former addict, which means she can explain not only the brain science behind addiction but the addict's actual experience.' * Library Journal * `Grisel, a behavioural neuroscientist and Bucknell psychology professor, examines the complexities of addiction in this personal account of a decade of substance abuse ... Weaving anecdotes of her ordeal - some funny, others embarrassing - with basic brain science, she explains how drugs work, why some are more effective than others, and how addicts differ from nonaddicts.' * Publishers Weekly * `Grisel's account of her wayward early 20s, chasing one high after another, is harrowing ... She writes clearly and unsparingly about both her experiences and the science of addiction - tobacco and caffeine figure in, as well - making plain that there is still much that remains unknown or mysterious about the brain's workings. In the end, she notes, much of our present culture, which shuns pain and favors avoidance, is made up of 'tools of addiction.' Illuminating reading for those seeking to understand the whos, hows, and wherefores of getting hooked.' * Kirkus * `It is rare to have a book on addiction marry emotional and scientific views. Never Enough sends a message of hope in relaying Judith Grisel's pathway out of her own drug quagmire - notably, one triggered by the positive and compassionate responses of those near and dear to her.' * Christopher J. Evans, PhD, Director of Hatos Center for Neuropharmacology, UCLA * `Grisel is a recovering addict, a neuroscientist, and a talented writer. Who better to help us understand drug addiction? This book is as informative as it is moving. Here you will find clearly explained science and a gripping account of the personal and societal toll of drug addiction.' * Martha J. Farah, PhD, Director of Center for Neuroscience & Society, and Walter H. Annenberg Professor in the Natural Sciences, University of Pennsylvania * `Dr. Judith Grisel, a neuroscientist and a person in long term addiction recovery, juxtaposes stark examples from her own tortured past, methodically connecting each experience to the hard science of addiction neurobiology. Doing this captures our attention as we peer into one of the most complex puzzles of humankind. The science behind addiction comes alive in its sorrow and grandeur. When you pick up this book get ready for an intense ride.' * Paul H. Earley, MD, DFASAM; President-elect of American Society of Addiction Medicine *

`In this book, she explores the effects of drugs and why some people become addicted. She hopes to contribute to a path for freedom from addiction and to help loved ones, carers and policy makers make more informed choices.' -- Andrea Ripper * Courier Mail * `A timely, educational blend of neuroscience and memoir ... Now a professor and scientist, Grisel is a compassionate and empathetic guide to the hard science behind drug use.' * BookPage * `With knowledge and compassion, Grisel's work straddles two worlds - that of scientists and former addicts, and is recommended for anyone interesting in furthering their understanding of addiction.' * Library Journal * `Grisel, a behavioural neuroscientist and Bucknell psychology professor, examines the complexities of addiction in this personal account of a decade of substance abuse ... Weaving anecdotes of her ordeal - some funny, others embarrassing - with basic brain science, she explains how drugs work, why some are more effective than others, and how addicts differ from non-addicts.' * Publishers Weekly * `It is rare to have a book on addiction marry emotional and scientific views. Never Enough sends a message of hope in relaying Judith Grisel's pathway out of her own drug quagmire - notably, one triggered by the positive and compassionate responses of those near and dear to her.' * Christopher J. Evans, PhD, Director of Hatos Center for Neuropharmacology, UCLA * `Dr. Judith Grisel, a neuroscientist and a person in long term addiction recovery, juxtaposes stark examples from her own tortured past, methodically connecting each experience to the hard science of addiction neurobiology. Doing this captures our attention as we peer into one of the most complex puzzles of humankind. The science behind addiction comes alive in its sorrow and grandeur. When you pick up this book get ready for an intense ride.' * Paul H. Earley, MD, DFASAM; President-elect of American Society of Addiction Medicine * `Many scientists write about addiction, but how many are former addicts? Psychology professor Grisel mixes coverage of brain research with the warts-and-all story of her addictions, beginning with alcohol in seventh grade and progressing to marijuana, LSD, cocaine, and IV drug use ... Powerful stuff' * Booklist * `Grisel's account of her wayward early 20s, chasing one high after another, is harrowing ... She writes clearly and unsparingly about both her experiences and the science of addiction - tobacco and caffeine figure in, as well - making plain that there is still much that remains unknown or mysterious about the brain's workings. In the end, she notes, much of our present culture, which shuns pain and favors avoidance, is made up of 'tools of addiction.' Illuminating reading for those seeking to understand the whos, hows, and wherefores of getting hooked.' * Kirkus * `Grisel is a recovering addict, a neuroscientist, and a talented writer. Who better to help us understand drug addiction? This book is as informative as it is moving. Here you will find clearly explained science and a gripping account of the personal and societal toll of drug addiction.' * Martha J. Farah, PhD, Director of Center for Neuroscience & Society, and Walter H. Annenberg Professor in the Natural Sciences, University of Pennsylvania * `A gripping memoir about the real cost of getting high.' -- Leaf Arbuthnot * The Times *

Author Information

Judith Grisel, PhD, is a professor of psychology at Bucknell University, and an internationally recognised behavioural neuroscientist with expertise in pharmacology and genetics whose research focuses on determining the root causes of drug addiction. Her recent research helps explain the different trajectories of alcohol abuse in men and women.

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