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This series about how organizations like Movember and No-Shave November “change the face” of men’s health issues continues with one more post. In Men and Addictions, and in this post, I describe the stimuli that typically cause our addictions, another major concern for men. My hope is that this series helps us understand how addictive behavior impact our relationships with both family and friends. The Stimuli that Cause Addiction  This post and the last one include information from The Addictive Brain, a Great Course taught by Thad A. Polk, professor of psychology at the University of Michigan who has done significant research into addictions. The CDC reports the COVID-19 pandemic is causing a rise in uncertainty, fear, anxiety, isolation & loneliness, and economic repercussions that will likely increase the reported cases of substance abuse, along with mental & physical abuse.  Polk says addiction affects roughly 1 in 4 Americans. He

Shortly after my November series about “changing the face” of men’s health, a good friend reminded me that addictions also need our attention. As such, my next couple of posts will explain the brian chemistry of addictive behaviors, followed by the types of stimuli that often turn into an addiction, especially for men. My goal for these posts is to help you understand how these addictions develop and see how addiction impacts your relationships with friends and family. NOTE: Most of this information is based on The Addictive Brain, a book and Great Course class by Thad A. Polk, professor of psychology with the University of Michigan. Polk has done significant research on how brain chemistry impacts addiction.  Addiction 101 Addiction is a modern-day epidemic. By some estimates, roughly one in four Americans may be considered an addict. More than 500 people die every hour as a result of addiction-related