Addiction is often misunderstood as a lack of willpower. In reality, it is a complex disease that fundamentally alters the brain's chemistry and function.
The Reward System Hijacked
The brain's reward system, particularly dopamine transmission, involves the nucleus accumbens. Healthy activities like eating or socialising release moderate amounts of dopamine. Drugs, however, flood the system, creating a euphoria that the brain starts to crave intensely.
Tolerance and Withdrawal
Over time, the brain adjusts by reducing its own dopamine production. This leads to tolerance (needing more substance for the same effect) and withdrawal (symptoms when the substance is absent), trapping the individual in a cycle of use.
The Prefrontal Cortex
Addiction also impairs the prefrontal cortex, the area responsible for decision-making and impulse control. This biological impairment explains why "just saying no" becomes physiologically difficult.
Key Takeaway:
Treating addiction requires addressing these physiological changes through clinical support, medical support, and long-term therapy to "rewire" the brain.