Prof. Dr. Tayfun Uzbay: “Addiction is a brain disease”

An event titled “Addiction and the Fight Against Addiction in the 21st Century” was organized by the Üsküdar University Faculty of Communication. Prof. Dr. Tayfun Uzbay, Rector Advisor of Üsküdar University and Head of the Department of Medical Pharmacology at the Faculty of Medicine, participated in the event. Emphasizing that behavioral addictions have emerged with the 21st century, Uzbay stated that addiction is a brain disease. Uzbay also noted that new addictions and new pleasures can emerge over time, and that individuals living in a bad environment are prone to addiction for various reasons. 

The event, held at the Güney Campus Fuat Sezgin Conference Hall, was moderated by Dr. Lecturer Özgün Arda Kuş. The event attracted great interest.

“One must start with human history when talking about addiction”

Üsküdar University Rector Advisor, Head of the Department of Medical Pharmacology at the Faculty of Medicine, Prof. Dr. Tayfun Uzbay made evaluations regarding addiction. Uzbay said; “I think we need to start with human history when it comes to addiction. Addiction began where Homo Sapiens first emerged. If we look at our own history, there's a hunter-gatherer period in human history. We have a hunter-gatherer period. Then we transition to agriculture, there's an agricultural period. This is followed by the industrial period. Today, we are living in a computer and internet, or in other words, an information age, and within all these periods we've experienced, we have reached technological nirvana, we are at the highest point, with artificial intelligence being developed and many other advancements. We are living in such an era. So where does addiction begin? I believe addiction is a phenomenon that emerged in the hunter-gatherer period, or even before that. Humans are curious creatures; they observe their surroundings. They communicate with each other and also look at what's around them.”

“Types of addiction we call behavioral addictions have emerged”

Emphasizing that behavioral addictions have emerged with the 21st century, Uzbay said; “Until the beginning of the 21st century, when we talked about addiction, we always discussed substance abuse or substance addiction. Most of these are chemical substances. So what did we encounter after entering the 21st century? We encountered the internet. Types of addiction we call behavioral addictions emerged. Over time, we got smartphones. We have incredible social media. There is almost no one who is not on social media. This is an important sociological reality, a societal reality of today. People now have a very broad network of interaction with each other. Within social media. But there is no face-to-face interaction. That is, you engage more with your friends sitting next to you on social media via mobile phones than through other activities. In some individuals or communities, this has now become a serious habit, and there is no objection to it. On the contrary, when this is prevented, a serious problem arises. We have amazing games thanks to the opportunities provided by the internet. Casinos used to be legal or illegal, but gambling was played in casinos. Gambling is now in your pocket. There is an unlimited casino in this mobile phone in my pocket. If I want, I can place all kinds of bets from here.”

“There is a tremendous system encouraging consumption”

Prof. Dr. Tayfun Uzbay stated that people born after 2000 are a large target audience; “Throughout the 20th century, we talked about eating disorders, but with the 21st century, obesity also increased. This was discussed, but mostly in the fields of health and medicine. We are only now realizing that a significant portion of obesity is actually related to food addiction. Shopping is normal, something we all do. We go to markets, meet our needs, but the 21st century provided something tremendous. You no longer need to go to a restaurant to eat and spend five or ten calories. There are delivery services, there are takeaway options. All kinds of opportunities exist. You just say what you want, and it comes right to your door. Perhaps you wouldn't even spend those ten calories going to a restaurant to eat that product. You can eat where you sit. There is a tremendous system that encourages consumption. In fact, you, those born after 2000, are a large target audience.”

“Instead of exclusion, it should be controlled and treated”

Uzbay pointed out that people living in a bad environment are prone to addiction for various reasons; “Addiction has a pleasurable aspect. When done continuously, it affects the brain. If you stop or cut it off, withdrawal emerges, and a crisis situation arises. It creates an obsession in you. Whether you call it behavioral or substance. Addiction is a brain disease, and instead of addicts being excluded, they should be controlled in some way and their illness treated. But the bad thing is that we don't even see one-tenth of the budgets allocated to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's in the field of addiction. There is a phase in our lives when we are more susceptible to addictions. That emerges as a risk factor. Some of us may be genetically more resistant to addiction, but environmental factors also come into play there. If you live in a bad environment, you become a candidate for addiction for various reasons.”

“New addictions, new pleasures can emerge over time”

Uzbay stated that addiction does not increase creativity; on the contrary, it decreases it; “Objects that cause addiction are not limited. That is, only so many chemicals cause it, and others don't. New ones can emerge through synthesis. Or, in my time, nobody was talking about social media addiction. Now we are talking about such an addiction. This means that new addictions and new pleasures can emerge over time, and new pleasures mean new addictions. It is said that most pleasures are universal. What does that mean? Addictions are universal, and so are pleasures. There might be some cultural nuances perhaps, but generally, something that gives pleasure to one person can give pleasure to another, even if they are from a different culture. Pleasures are universal. And people enjoy being stimulated. Actually, there's a wrong term that has settled in Turkish. We say 'drug addiction' (uyuşturucu bağımlılığı). It's not 'drug' (uyuşturucu, implying narcotic/numbing), it's 'addictive substances'. Many things are mixed up here, intertwined. Addiction does not increase creativity. On the contrary, it decreases creativity.”