Overcome Addiction from a Latter Day Saint Perspective

This course can help you understand addiction from a science-based and latter day saint perspective. You will also learn about how destructive habits form, science of temptation, and common misperceptions about addiction. The science of addiction shows us not only what addiction is, but also how the brain is built and why it is so susceptible to error, sin, temptation, bad habits, anger, or emotion, etc.

Studying, working as a counselor, and teaching psychology, and in the addiction field for several years, I see so much overlap with gospel truths and science. We will dive into looking at and discussing cravings, the role of memory and how addiction, sin, temptation and it’s strong pull, exploits the very mechanisms that the brain has developed.

We will also look at the science of addiction, and the methods that have a very good success rate helping people come out of addiction, habits, or default character weaknesses, that prevent you from progressing, and talk about overcoming the natural man, basically.

This course should help you to understand many aspects of addiction, habit loops and compulsive behaviors from the view of “deep learning” too.

“Deep learning” means that one has forged or is forging stronger synaptic pathways in their through habits, but this also means that one can forge better habits through these strong synaptic pathways in the brain, which is remarkably plastic and that individuals can actively work to change these patterns of behavior, by developing healthier habits and behaviors.

We know that what we do physically, can affect us spiritually and vice versa. This can involve intentionally practicing new ways of thinking and behaving, which can lead to the formation of new synaptic connections and the strengthening of existing ones.

Over time, this can help to “unlearn” unhealthy or maladaptive, or destructive patterns in our lives and replace them with more positive and adaptive ones. The National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC) at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) discusses a theory by American neuroscientist Marc Lewis that addiction isn’t a disease, but rather a result of this “deep learning.”

Lewis argues that addiction, rather than being a disease, is a learned behavior that arises from the brain’s ability to form and strengthen synaptic connections in response to repeated experiences.

According to Lewis, addiction can be “unlearned” by forging stronger synaptic pathways through better habits. He suggests that individuals can change their addictive behaviors by intentionally practicing new ways of thinking and behaving, which can lead to the formation of new synaptic connections and the weakening of existing ones.