★ We often believe that we choose our own lives—but in reality, it’s our brain’s obsessions that are making the decisions for us.
— You’re not hungry, yet you still want to eat; you don’t love someone, but you long for them anyway; you have no intention of buying something, yet you can’t help yourself from glancing at it… This isn’t a sign of weak willpower; it’s your brain, held hostage by its own fixations.
— Even when you know something is illusory, you can’t resist comparing yourself to others; even when you recognize it as a minor matter, envy still grips you; and even when you see a situation for what it truly is—a trap—you still find yourself leaping right in… This isn’t because you lack clarity; it’s simply your brain, still running its ancient, ingrained programming.
★ Remember: You’re not “weak-willed,” “poor at managing your emotions,” or “not living with enough insight.” What’s really happening is that your brain is trapped by its obsessions! This series delves into the neural mechanisms of the brain to uncover the underlying logic behind the various “obsessions” that plague modern people.
★ The goal of helping readers become aware of their obsessions isn’t to eradicate them, but rather to empower you to keep a firm grip on the steering wheel of your life, even when those powerful urges surge forth. It’s a “philosophy of life” designed to help modern individuals understand themselves and come to terms with who they are.
★ Written by Professor Dubinin of Moscow State University, PhD in Biology!

This series comprises two books: “Food and Novelty” and “Desire and Love.”

Never before have humans been so caught up in an array of obsessions and preconceived notions—ranging from a cult of efficiency to an obsessive focus on healthy eating. In this book, Professor Dubinin, a PhD in biology, takes you deep into the brain to reveal how these fixations arise, how they control us, and what neurological mechanisms underlie them.

Why do we always feel like snacking, even when we’re not hungry? Ten thousand years ago, the location of the next meal was always uncertain. Every encounter with high-calorie food represented a chance to stay alive. The brain learned this lesson: see it, eat it; don’t eat it, and you might starve. Today, that “see it, eat it” program is still running. The only difference is that instead of occasional berries and meat, we’re surrounded by 24-hour convenience stores, all-you-can-drink bubble tea, and algorithmically targeted snack ads. Why can’t we stop scrolling? Because each swipe down to refresh the feed is akin to turning over a leaf in the ancient forest. Who knows what might be hiding beneath—a berry, perhaps? The brain rewards this kind of exploration: every new piece of information delivers a mild dopamine hit.

In this book, Professor Vyacheslav Dubinin examines issues related to compulsive eating, body-image anxiety, and fear of the unknown. Grounded in solid scientific evidence, the author draws on his extensive expertise in neurobiology, weaving rich insights from the field throughout. By integrating cutting-edge research with real-world examples, he helps readers understand how cravings for food and novelty shape brain function—and even delves into the topic of artificial intelligence. Through this book, you will discover:
- Why we become addicted to social media;
- What makes food increasingly appealing;
- The reasons behind our intolerance of boredom and silence;
- Why people of normal weight still strive to lose more weight;
- How lies affect the brain.

[Author] Vyacheslav Dubinin
Vyacheslav Dubinin holds a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences and is an expert in the field of brain physiology. He is a professor in the Department of Human and Animal Physiology at the Faculty of Biology, Moscow State University, where he has mentored generations of biologists and physicians. He actively teaches at the Faculty of Biology, the Faculty of Medicine, and the Department of Psychology at Moscow State University, as well as at several other higher education institutions in Moscow, including the Moscow International Independent University of Ecology and Politics, the Institute of Modern Economics, and the Institute of Analytical Psychology, among others.
Professor Dubinin has developed and taught courses in Central Nervous System Anatomy, Psychology of the Central Nervous System, and the Physiology of Higher Nervous Activity and Sensory Systems. In addition, he has offered courses in psychophysiology, psychogenetics, and ecology, and has organized a specialized course titled “Physiology of the Brain’s Motor System,” which is part of the advanced training program for higher education faculty based at Lomonosov Moscow State University.
For each of his courses, Professor Dubinin has prepared both lecture materials and textbooks. He is also a co-author of high school biology textbooks, including the “Handbook for University Entrance Examinees in Biology” (2002), in which he authored the chapter on the nervous system. He serves as a member of the Federal Expert Committee of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation, within the section dedicated to school biology textbooks. He has published over 100 scientific papers on various aspects of brain physiology in both Russian and international journals, approximately 45 of which were supported by grants from the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR), notably grant No. 02-04-48561 (“The Effect of β-Cysteine on Mother–Offspring Interaction in Experimental Animals”). He is also an expert reviewer for neuroscience projects under the Interdepartmental Longevity Science Fund.
Furthermore, he is a co-author of “Human Regulatory Systems” (2003), a textbook approved by the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation for use in higher education. This manual covers central nervous system anatomy, the physiology of the central nervous system from a neuropharmacological perspective, the physiology of higher nervous activity, and neuropharmacology. Written in clear, accessible language, it has been highly regarded by both students and educators.