Reviewed by Ekua Hagan
Chronic drug abuse is associated with impaired self-awareness (dysfunction of the insular cortex), which manifests as a denial of the severity of addiction and the need for treatment (Naqvi et al., 2007).
For example, only a small fraction of heavy drinkers admit they have a drinking problem.
This is one reason why some people keep drinking even after they realize it's destroying their lives.
Mindfulness is an important approach shown to improve awareness and inhibitory control (Paulus and Stewart 2014).
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