The Neurobiology of Addiction with Dr. Don Hilton

Today Rob welcomes his admired and respected colleague,  Dr. Don Hilton. As an adjunct associate professor of neurosurgery at the University of Texas Health Center at San Antonio, Dr. Hilton has been at the forefront in expanding what we know about the neurobiology of addiction. He talks with Rob about the ways our brain learns addiction, how porn may be the “fast food of sex” and the need for our culture to catch up in education when it comes to sex and pornography. Dr. Hilton’s research and work help people get over the stigma shame of addiction and instead learn to create what we really all want - authentic human relationships with a valid connection.

 

TAKEAWAYS:

[2:28] Dr. Hilton’s recent focus has been on pornography and the effect of pornography on the brain. About a decade ago he was in Australia to lecture on minimally invasive spine surgery, and met up with a dear friend who was a world-renowned scientist studying the natural instinctive brain craving for survival. The question came up about engines of desire, and what made animals crave things to help them survive. A research project grew out of those discussions, and they found that the same DNA gene sets that caused the animal model to desire salt also correlated with addiction.

[5:52] Is pursuing sensation over emotion quite possibly all part of the evolutionary plan for us?

[10:02] Virtual Reality is a double-edged sword - it may help people connect who are too socially shy or introverted, but it also brings up a confusing blend of emotions. Dr. Hilton feels as though we will, in the end, choose an emotional connection, and we are designed to connect and bond with each other as humans.

[14:29] Porn strikes at our need for human connection and love most deeply. Rob looks at it in a way similar to alcohol, where for some people it’s a real issue, and some people can use it sporadically without a problem. Dr. Hilton feels as though there is a problem with the product itself in terms of the risks, use of drugs and alcohol and consent.

[22:32] Dr. Hilton feels that America could follow a similar model to Britain’s to protect our minors. For parents to say it’s okay for their minors to partake in it, it’s important that they have an understanding of the reality of what they are watching.

[28:02] It would be more helpful if counselors and educational supporters talked about real sex issues such as pornography with teenagers. Currently, only 20 states in America offer sex education as a standard to their high school students, and 12 require parental permission.

[32:03] If a person can step back and realize an addiction such as porn is a problem, but it is not them and a problem with their brain. Recovery is a learning process where we come back to wholeness.

 

RESOURCES

Sex and Relationship Healing

@RobWeissMSW

Sex Addiction 101

Out of the Doghouse

Cruise Control

Dr. Donald Hilton, M.D.

 

Bio

Dr. Donald Hilton, M.D.

Neurosurgeon, University of Texas, San Antonio

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Dr. Hilton is an adjunct associate professor of neurosurgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, where he is the director of the spine fellowship and the director of neurosurgical training at the Methodist Hospital rotation. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. His research and publishing interests have included traumatic brain injury, minimally invasive surgery, and neural mechanisms of addiction.

He also serves on the board of directors of the Washington DC-based National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE), and on the board of directors of the Society for the Advancement of Sexual Health (SASH).