Some individuals might assume that stopping a drug addiction is as easy as making the decision to do so. What they do not realize is how substance abuse can change the way the brain functions, making it increasingly difficult to cease drug activities without professional help. The following information explains why drug addicts can struggle when attempting to stop their abuse problems on their own.
Dopamine Production
Dopamine plays a critical role in survival. When produced in the brain, this chemical can reinforce the desire to repeat certain behaviors. For instance, when a person consumes a satisfying meal, the pleasing feeling that arises from this activity helps to ensure that the individual will continue to eat. In the same way, the usage of drugs triggers the production of dopamine, which makes the brain believe that it should continue this activity due to the highly gratifying feelings it creates.
Sensory Reduction
Drug addiction does more than make a user feel good when he abuses a given substance. It also makes him less sensitive to other behaviors that would normally elicit a similar response. So while the brain of a sober person may produce enough dopamine after a delicious meal to ensure that the individual will eat again in the future, the brain of an addicted person may not experience the same results. As a result, an addict does not feel the same pleasing emotions after engaging in other activities. The regular usage of drugs becomes the only behavior that can give rise to the pleasant feelings that an addict craves.
Control Decline
As a person engages in greater and more frequent drug usage, so too does he find it more difficult to stop his behavior. He may recognize how harmful his drug activities can be to his physical health and personal relationships, but the more he uses drugs, the less able his brain is to exert control over his actions. That is why addicts require intervention and professional substance abuse treatment, as their brains can no longer stop them from their dangerous activities.
Do you have a drug addiction problem? Call Las Encinas Hospital at (888) 348-2165 to set up an appointment with an addiction treatment counselor. For more than 100 years, our facility has been helping individuals in Pasadena and the surrounding areas to overcome their chemical dependency problems.
