Craving for drugs

Abstract

The image of craving as a desire of unimaginable and irresistible force is poised to solve the puzzle of addiction: persistent drug use despite severe negative consequences. But the image is flawed. Drawing on science, philosophy, and first-person testimony, I argue against irresistibility and develop a more nuanced, heterogeneous account of craving for drugs. Craving comes in three varieties, each corresponding to a kind of answer to the question why people crave drugs: cue-induced, goal-focused, and attachment-based. This in turn grounds an approach to addressing addiction that is humane and heterogeneous, moving beyond strategies that are fundamentally controlling.