Bidari, Ramin: Addiction, Meaning, and the Modern Brain: Rethinking the Cycle of Pleasure, Obsession, and Consciousness in the Interaction Between the Midbrain and the Neocortex

Addiction and obsessive behaviors are commonly interpreted as disorders of the brain’s reward system. However, many dominant models in neuroscience overlook the role of the search for meaning, identity, and existential peace in intensifying these cycles. This article presents an interdisciplinary conceptual framework at the intersection of neuroscience, philosophy of consciousness, and spirituality, proposing that addiction is not merely the product of biological pleasure-seeking, but also the r