Addiction and The Brain

Addiction and The Brain

The brain is responsible for executing the most important functions of the body and also for responding to stimuli. Drugs and alcohol can adversely alter the brain, causing it to develop unhealthy cravings, compulsions, and dependency.

Substance use affects the neurotransmissions in the brain, overwhelming the brain’s ‘reward system’ with the ‘feel-good’ neuro-hormone known as dopamine. The result is a sense of euphoria and immense pleasure that drives a ‘need’ to consume the dopamine-inducing substance again in order to
achieve a similar result, or ‘high’, resulting in addiction.

With time, the brain begins to adapt to the external stimuli like drugs and alcohol; it gets used to these substances, producing a high that becomes less and less gratifying with time. Initially, a person will increase the consumption of alcohol or the substance in an effort to compensate for adaptation.

However, it is only a matter of time before the new limits of consumption and substance use become inadequate too. This is an effect known as tolerance, which will continue to build as the amount of drugs or alcohol continues to increase.

Changes in The Brain

Continuous abuse of alcohol or drugs not only wreaks havoc on the body’s internal systems, but it can also alter the composition and functions of the brain. In fact, the National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that long-term drug abuse can permanently damage the functions of the brain. Conditioning is a prime example of permanent cognitive damage caused by addiction.

From birth, conditioning is one of the most fundamental methods by which humans learn. Conditioning occurs when the brain learns to associate a reward or punishment with a specific stimulus or environmental factor. For example, someone struggling with addiction may permanently associate certain friends, places, or activities with substance abuse.

The brain creates a connection that drives a craving for drugs or alcohol when exposed to an associated stimulus. That means that long after treatment and a period of abstinence, conditioning can still incite seemingly uncontrollable cravings.

Research and science proves addiction is not a moral issue, it is in fact a brain disease. The good news is that addiction is treatable and the brain does heal. If you or someone you know is suffering from addiction, contact us today for a free and confidential consultation.