Substance use and addiction can be a polarizing topic. Many people see substance use and addictive behaviours solely as the fault of personal choices. These beliefs, unfortunately contributes to the stigma that surrounds all forms of addiction. But things are far more complex than that. Sure, in an ideal world, substance use, and additions would not be so prevalent. That said, the reality remains that substance use affects the human brain. This is the primary obstacle when it comes to both prevention and recovery.
From the outside, the negative aspects of addiction seem so obvious that one might be quick to blame anyone struggling with this issue. But when you understand how your brain can lose control of typical functioning, you’ll recognize how insidious something like substance use can be.
Addiction is Widespread and Varied
About one in 10 people are addicted to alcohol, prescriptions, or “recreational” drugs. Then, of course, there are behavioural addictions like internet usage, social media, pornography, gambling, gaming, food, sex, shopping, and more. Believing these people simply lack willpower or morality is a harmful stereotype.
Most people accept that certain lifestyle choices will harm our bodies, but addiction is still viewed through an archaic lens. It is a chronic disease by which the brain is altered to betray our best interests. The addicted brain is unable to regulate the reward system and thus pushes them toward compulsive behaviors.
How Does Addiction Start?
Your brain does not differentiate when it comes to pleasure. It rewards you in such moments with a rush of chemicals (like dopamine) that make you feel great. When a person ingests an addictive substance or engages in an addictive behavior, they are “rewarded” somewhat. Your brain is taught a lesson: If you want to feel this good again, repeat what you just did. In short order, your mental faculties are hijacked by the belief that you can only be happy if you seek out the substance or behaviour. Even if the substance use or addictive behaviours are a coping mechanism to mask pain and trauma or other mental health disorders, their use is coded as a reward in the brain – it’s not ideal but numbing can feel better than feeling the pain.
From there, your brain does whatever it can to convince you to make an addictive choice. You will experience strong, irresistible cravings. What once made you happy is no longer sufficient. This means:
- You can develop a one-track mind as your brain demands a very specific source of pleasure.
- You’ll need more and more of whatever it is that you’re doing — from drinking alcohol to playing video games — to satisfy the cravings.
- Despite being aware of the negative side effects of your actions, you may not be able to control the cravings.
Memory Plays a Big Role
Whenever you feel the need to stop and rethink this cycle, your brain will remind you about the pleasure you’ve felt. The memory of this experience is typically enough to bypass self-preservation. Your primary goal is to find a way to obey your cravings.
Thanks to the changes in your brain, this entire process is stored as a reflexive. The cycle can be beyond your conscious control. As a result, there remains the risk of relapses even after receiving treatment. Simply seeing something that reminds you of the substance or behavior can be enough to trigger new cravings.
Healing Your Brain
There is no one way to recover. Each case is different, e.g., the source of addiction, the person’s age and condition, how long the addiction existed, etc. However, effective treatment protocols can be combined with self-care (sleep, exercise, healthy eating, relaxation techniques, and more) to help the brain recover from any type of dependence issue.
The initial key actions are to seek help as soon as possible and to have a support system to lean on. To get started on this journey to recovery, we invite you to get in touch with our office so we can discuss the next steps.
