Theories of Addiction - Peg O'Connor
pegoconnorauthor.com
The "hijacked brain" model of addiction is philosophically contested — and dismantling it forces us to rethink free will, agency, and what recovery actually means.
Disease Model of AddictionFree Will and DeterminismMoral ResponsibilityPhilosophy of Mind
Theory Briefing
- The dominant 'hijacked brain' metaphor frames addiction as a disease that strips away all agency — a claim O'Connor calls a philosophical fallacy.
- By challenging the neurological determinism behind the hijacked-brain model, the article reopens the free will debate at the heart of addiction science.
- If addicts retain some degree of agency, recovery theories shift from pure medical treatment toward models of moral growth and self-authorship.