I think that may be more or less inevitable. We don't even have a good physiological understanding of obesity. We know some things. Weight gain is determined by caloric intake. Maybe the right way to think of it is caloric intake is necessary for weigh gain. Bringing in psychology, neurology/neurochemistry… puff. There is fascinating science going on, but we're currently far from a working understanding.
But, we have other tools. Many of them are unscientific. We call them pseudo science or whatnot. That may not be incorrect, but it is probably missing something. Is AA pseudoscience? It's a social structure and method for alcohol addiction. We have all sorts of scientific knowledge, but not a science based improvement on AA.
It's increasingly seems like there are similarities between substance addiction, activity (video games, adrenaline sports, sex, procrastination, social media..) addiction and other "pathologies." The science does not contradict this. In fact, the contrary is very likely to be true. I've heard various interesting sounding theories that might be rendered as
"Addiction is something that has hijacked the learning process in your brain." IE, your brain responds and adapts to small doses of frustration or satisfaction when you learn to walk, solve math or ride a Harley Davidson. That adaption is learning. Addiction is that kind of learned behavior.
Yet, taking that theoretical level understanding of super-complicated processes in a super-complicated environment and using it in a non-pseudoscientific way is… we're not there yet. When we get there, we can throw out old wives tales. Until then, lets just agree that not everything is science. Some things are a working theory that approximates reality or utilizes some of our other human faculties to create a working solution to current projects.
But, we have other tools. Many of them are unscientific. We call them pseudo science or whatnot. That may not be incorrect, but it is probably missing something. Is AA pseudoscience? It's a social structure and method for alcohol addiction. We have all sorts of scientific knowledge, but not a science based improvement on AA.
It's increasingly seems like there are similarities between substance addiction, activity (video games, adrenaline sports, sex, procrastination, social media..) addiction and other "pathologies." The science does not contradict this. In fact, the contrary is very likely to be true. I've heard various interesting sounding theories that might be rendered as
"Addiction is something that has hijacked the learning process in your brain." IE, your brain responds and adapts to small doses of frustration or satisfaction when you learn to walk, solve math or ride a Harley Davidson. That adaption is learning. Addiction is that kind of learned behavior.
Yet, taking that theoretical level understanding of super-complicated processes in a super-complicated environment and using it in a non-pseudoscientific way is… we're not there yet. When we get there, we can throw out old wives tales. Until then, lets just agree that not everything is science. Some things are a working theory that approximates reality or utilizes some of our other human faculties to create a working solution to current projects.
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=addiction+learning+dopa...