The concept of hypoism has important features that all addictionologists should understand when treating addiction.  For example, the idea that the limbic system is quite diverse across the population is very important.  Practioners are thus obligated to understand the nature of hypoism in general and particular - the unique neurochemistry and reward system dynamics of each patient  - This illustates in a highly effective way that that the one size fits all mentality amongst many treatment providers in the 20th century was in many ways a mistaken notion - a notion that contributed to the poor success rates of treating addictions.

Hypoism is described by Umanoff as a chronic, progressive, and frequently fatal (albeit recoverable) thinking and decision-making disorder that is due most often to the effects of genetically transmitted, critically low activity of the Feel O.K. System "FOKS" resulting from various physiologic deficiencies of the limbic neurotransmitter systems working within the decision-making apparatus. The hypoic FOKS is said to turn the decision-making apparatus into an "addiction machine."  Umanoff strongly suggests that hypoism has three inevitable manifestations: 1) addictions to substances, ideas, people, and behaviors, 2) decision-making difficulties leading to disasters, and 3) situation and self-evaluations mistakes having damaging repercussions in the hypoic's life."

The merit of the hypoism paradigm is that it uncovers in considerable depth the nature of addiction not sufficiently understood by most practitioners - reaching  beyond the basic disease concept yet incorporating it.  This is a valuable development.  However, a problematic component is the imposing feature of the "feel O.K. system" is that it is "present in all people and is located in an area of the brain not amenable to conscious control."  While this may be a largely accurate construct, the theory seems to indicate that the addicts volitional faculties are virtually captured by the FOKS.  "The FOKS includes the reward pathways provided by evolution to reinforce instinctive behaviors. In hypoics, this organ's function is altered by evolutionarily diverse GENES (ALLELES) functioning at lower levels than in the majority of people. These genes have turned the FOKS/decision-making apparatus into an addiction-making machine, which functions against the will of the hypoic."(By Dan Umanoff, M.D.)