Have you ever wondered what makes drugs so addictive? I mean, how do they work and what happens to the brain as soon as we take them?
Well, wonder no more because we have the answer and it all has to do with our brains’ “reward system”.
Here’s how it works. (the article continues after the ad)
WE REPEAT DOING WHAT MAKES US HAPPY
Our brain has a reward circuit which basically controls our ability to feel pleasure and euphoria. This system, encourages a person to repeat all the activities that offer pleasure (such as eating, having sex, having quality time with loved ones etc) while de-motivates him/her from repeating activities that are not considered satisfactory. The way this works is quite simple actually: for activities that our brain finds pleasurable, it releases dopamine, a chemical messenger compound, while it “cuts” the dopamine supply for not pleasurable activities. So how do drugs work?
Well, they do just that – they affect our reward circuit by releasing dopamine. By increasing the dopamine supply into key areas of the brain, drugs give a sense of euphoria and a satisfactory feeling, which is exactly what makes a person feel “high”. As the brain gets used to it though, the brain won’t respond to dopamine that easily anymore and this is the reason why people feel less “high” than they previously felt and take more of the drug in an effort to achieve the same “high”. Unfortunately, this vicious circle has devastating results.
A CHRONIC DISEASE
What’s even more astonishing is that drug addiction is, in a lot of cases, a chronic disease. The changes occurred in the brain can lead to a permanent condition in which a person’s ability to resist to drugs is minimized. This is exactly the reason why, even after years of quitting, people still have increased risk of returning to the drug.
If you like what you read, then you will definitely love this one: Can You Guess Where The Cannabis Grower Live By Just Looking At This Picture?
Main Article Photo: stevepb / Pixabay, geralt / Pixabay
Photoshop: I’m A Useless Info Junkie
Sources: DrugFacts: Understanding Drug Use and Addiction | What makes drugs addictive?
