Greg is joined by Dr. Howard Wetsman, an addiction psychiatrist that explains the biological process of dealing with any form of addiction. Dr. Wetsman is the author of Questions and Answers on Addiction. Genetics play a large role in whether or not someone will struggle with addiction in their lifetime but unfortunately genetics are so often ignored.
Dr. Howard Wetsman envisions a day when people no longer struggle with addiction. He has been actively treating addiction in facilities ranging from inpatient units, charity hospitals and HIV clinics.
About 10-20% of the population suffer from the illness that we know as addiction. Dr. Wetsman says that this can be caused by low levels of dopamine tone that creates memory loss, lower concentration levels, and inability to feel reward. “If we don’t have the proper level of dopamine tone, then there are a certain number of things that just do not go right”, says Dr. Wetsman.
He hopes to get away from this drug-based view of addiction and hopes society will understand that is occurs in nature. This means we have a chance to treat it, prevent it, and end it as a problem in America.
Join Greg and Dr. Wetsman as they discuss why it is important to start understanding the brain illness called addiction. In this episode, Greg also undergoes genetic testing provided by the Addiction Lab of American Addiction Centers and discusses the results with Dr. Wetsman.
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