Addiction is a chronic disease that alters the typical structure and function of the brain. It starts at the neurocircuitry, where the chemical substances affect the neurochemical systems. Addiction is the misuse of drugs and related addictive substances.
- Almost 23 million Americans abuse drugs
- Two to three Americans are addicted to alcohol
The whole mechanism of drug addiction starts with using any addictive substance, which leads to misuse and eventually abuse and complete dependence on it.
How Does Addiction Affect The Brain?
Most addictive substances affect the brain's "reward circuit," which leads the brain to euphoria. It results in the flooding of a chemical messenger called dopamine. A healthy and active brain’s reward system motivates and urges people to repeat behaviors.
Dopamine is released from the cerebral cortex during the drug dose. It nourishes the brain’s reward system and creates a pleasant experience.
Moreover, the hippocampus stores the memory of relaxation, which causes a behavioral response of the brain towards these substances. Soothing the mind and body with addictive substances leads to neuroplasticity to acquire drug addiction.
Further intake and rapid exposure to drugs can cause neurotoxicity of the brain and the associated nerves, which can damage the brain's normal functioning. Brain stars lose control over the body, and neuroplasticity starts altering its behaviors to maladaptive behaviors.
Who Does The Drug Addiction Really Impact?
It depends on certain factors.
- Biological: Addiction depends on a person’s genes if they acquire drug addiction or not. Almost half of the genes of the next generation of a drug addictive person will be addicted to drugs.
- Environmental: Environmental factors play a crucial role in altering behaviors and mindsets. Exposure to drugs at an early age, sexual abuse, stress, anxiety, and unhealthy parental guidance are the leading environmental issues that can cause drug addiction among individuals.
Impacts of Drug Addiction
- Rapid Sense of Relief: The brain interprets the release of Dopamine as a pleasant experience that causes rapid relief from stress. Individuals start using mind-altering substances to relieve stress rapidly, but they are unaware of the adverse consequences.
- Affect Brain's Learning Ability and Memory: Drug addiction seriously impacts the learning and memory storing ability of the brain. Dopamine and Glutamate enhance the brain's learning activity quickly during the consumption of alcohol and/or use of other drugs. The chemical substances start affecting the Hippocampus, eventually destroying the brain's memory. Hence, the temporary relief of the drug exposure leads an individual to long-lasting and irreversible disastrous impacts.
- Maladaptive Behaviors: Drug intake leads an individual to maladaptive behaviors. Continuous drug abuse can lead a person to maladaptive behaviors like anger and passive-aggressiveness, self-harm, avoidance from life activities, and anxiety. All in all, these maladaptive behaviors are challenging for the drug abuser. Moreover, research suggests that maladaptive behaviors lead to social anxiety disorder and depression. The person feels trapped in the most basic life activities and can't figure out the way out.
Drug Addiction is a common concern among the young generation nowadays. Continuous intake alters the drug abuser's behavior and learning experiences and leads to maladaptive behaviors.
