Drug use alters the brain's chemistry, leading to addiction from "summary" of Never Enough by Judith Grisel
Drug use alters the brain’s chemistry, leading to addiction. The brain is the most powerful piece of technology we possess, and its primary objective is to keep us alive. It is highly adaptable, constantly changing in response to our experiences. When we introduce drugs into our system, the brain’s chemistry is disrupted, triggering a cascade of events that ultimately lead to addiction. Drugs hijack the brain’s reward system, flooding it with dopamine – the neurotransmitter responsible for pleasure and reward. This surge in dopamine creates an intense feeling of euphoria, reinforcing the behavior of drug use. Over time, the brain adapts to this unnatural level of dopamine by reducing its production, leading to a diminished response to natural rewards. As drug use continues, the brain undergoes neuroadaptations to counteract the overwhelming presence of drugs. Tolerance develops, requiring higher doses of the substance to achieve the same effect. This cycle of escalating drug use further disrupts the brain’s delicate balance, leading to changes in other neurotransmitter systems and brain regions involved in decision-making, impulse control, and stress regulation. Repeated drug use rewires the brain, strengthening the connec...
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