Unbroken Brain by Maia Szalavitz Book Review: A Revolutionary New Way of Understanding Addiction 

Unbroken Brain by Maia Szalavitz Book Review

In Unbroken Brain, Maia Szalavitz gives us a fresh approach to understanding addiction.

Szalavitz says that addiction is a complicated problem connected to how your brain grows and learns. So instead of thinking it’s a failure or just something wrong with the body, you should try to understand it better and accept it. All you gotta do, explains the author is to learn how your brain works and finding better ways to cope with the addiction.

“It’s not about being weak or lacking willpower” says Szalavitz, rather it’s about how you use substances or behaviors to cope with stress, trauma, or the tough emotions.

In the Unbroken Brain, Szalavitz dives into the science of addiction, showing us how it’s really about how the brain responds to rewards.

Some people are more sensitive to this reward system, explains the author, which makes them more likely to become addicted to certain things.

She also points out that addiction looks different for everyone, depending on their personal history, genetics, and life experiences.

So instead of focusing on “curing” the addiction, Szalavitz reminds us that recovery is more about learning new ways to cope and to gradually rewire the brain.

And as writer Neil Gaiman puts it, “Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.”

She recommends a caring, tailored approach to treatment that focuses on understanding the person, (or yourself) not just the addiction.

The big takeaway from Unbroken Brain is that addiction isn’t a life sentence.

With the right support, you can absolutely heal and create healthier ways to deal with life’s challenges. This book shows that recovery isn’t just about stopping a behavior—it’s about understanding the deeper reasons behind it and learning new ways to cope.

The Unbroken Brain offers a more hopeful, compassionate view of addiction, reminding us that it’s not about willpower or moral failure, but about addressing the root causes.

If you’re looking to truly understand addiction and how to break free from it, this book is a game-changer. It’s a must-read for anyone who wants a deeper, more human-centered approach to addiction and recovery.

Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day.