DR. DONNA MARKS –
March – 2026 – Rising addiction and mental health challenges worldwide are prompting new questions about what is truly driving the crisis. While many solutions focus on treatment, a growing conversation is shifting toward the root cause. According to licensed psychotherapist and revered author Dr. Donna Marks, one of the most overlooked factors is a lack of self-love.
Dr. Marks says addiction, whether to drugs, alcohol, food, or other compulsive behaviors, is often not the primary problem, but rather a symptom of deeper psychological struggles.
“Unhealthy habits are at the core of most mental and physical illnesses, and the research supports this,” says Dr. Marks. “And at the heart of many of these struggles is a lack of self-love. When people do not value themselves, they are more likely to engage in behaviors that avoid the emotional pain rather than heal it.”
Instead of focusing solely on external solutions, Dr. Marks advocates for an internal shift, helping individuals build a healthier relationship with themselves.
“Self-love is not a luxury; it is essential,” she explains. “When individuals learn how to love and accept themselves truly, they begin to break free from the patterns that keep them stuck. Healing starts from within.”
Dr. Marks is the author of multiple works, including “The Healing Moment: 7 Paths to Turn Messes into Miracles of Love,” “Exit the Maze: One Addiction, One Cause, One Cure,” and “Learn, Grow, Forgive: A Path to Spiritual Success.” These transformative works teach people how to delve into the seven paths that Dr. Marks introduces, which can help turn negative experiences and mistakes into meaning and purpose.
