Addiction: A Disease?
Created by: Alexa Assalley
the science behind addiction
the basics
In the early 1900's, researchers first believed that people who developed addictions were "morally flawed" or lacking in self control. They thought that overcoming addiction involved punishment. Today, however, we recognize addiction as a chronic disease changing the structure and function of the brain.
why are some more prone to addiction than others?
As with any other disease, addiction varies in every body. There is no single factor that determines it. Addiction can be caused by nature (genes), nurture (environmental factors), and often times both. One of the biggest factors leading to addiction is early use and abuse. Many teens worldwide binge drink or try drugs because "everyone else is doing it" or "it makes me feel good" and it can lead to serious consequences later on in life.
A look inside the brain
The human brain, the most complex organ in the body, regulates your body's basic functions. Each part of the brain has its own function and they work together as a team. Drugs can alter certain parts of the brain that allow you to function normally. Brain areas affected by drugs include: the brain stem, which controls basic functions critical to life such as heart rate, sleeping, and breathing; the cerebral cortex, which processes information from our senses and is the thinking center of the brain; and the limbic system, which contains the brains reward system. The parts of the brain communicate through neurons, neurotransmitters, receptors, and transporters.
your brain on drugs
Drugs are chemicals that hack into your brains communication system interfering with the way neurons send, receive, and process information. Many drugs target the brains reward system releasing excessive amounts of dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that controls feelings such as movement, emotion, motivation, and pleasure. When the brain system is overstimulated with drugs, it creates a euphoric sensation or a "high" feeling.
what happens when you continue using?
Our brains are wired to reward actions that give us positive feelings and remember how that happened so we can reproduce that feeling again. When this reward circuit is activated, the brain notes that something important is happening and remembers and teaches us to do it again without even thinking. The more you use a drug, the higher of a tolerance you build up. This is often when problems start to occur. Your brain will do anything to get that euphoric sensation again and in return you increase the amounts of the substance used. Eventually you will have to use the drug to even feel normal. The drug becomes essential to your body, like water or food, and without it your body goes into withdrawal.
