The Science of Addiction

When we often think of addiction, we think of someone with a substance abuse problem. So those that have a less shallow understanding of how an individual overdid something to a point of no return.

That’s why addiction isn’t limited to substance abuse but to gambling, the thrill from extreme sports, etc. In some cases even love. Yes, ‘love’ has the same effect on the brain as a drug would. So what is that effect that certain behaviors like gambling can have on the brain, i.e. addiction?

When it comes to substance abuse, these chemicals mimic our body’s natural neurotransmitter called dopamine. Dopamine is created by the brain as a reward repose. Aside from making you feel great, reward responses cause the brain to remember such behavior, i.e. positive reinforcement. Repeat this a few more times and now you are stuck in a cycle.

So now that the brain knows ‘good job’, this is a ‘good job’; it encourages you to keep doing. That’s when we try to take away the stimulus that activated the reward response, a narcotic substance, a behavior, or a person, our brain doesn’t understand why.

So can we even blame people for falling down the spiral of addiction? Some people might not even be aware that they might get tangled up in a lifelong struggle.

“Addiction is not a moral failing, a choice, or a character flaw. Addiction is an illness.”

Runs in The Family

In fact, people can have a genetic predisposition to substance abuse. You have probably noticed how different medication affects all of us differently. One medication that worked for you, might barely affect someone else. Then there are people that will end up sick from the same treatment. Differences like these are caused by a difference in genes.

The American Psychological Association (APA) states that;

“at least half of a person's susceptibility to drug or alcohol addiction can be linked to genetic factors.”

That’s roughly half is actually between 40-60%. Genetic mutation is why humans have survived as a species. We adapted to make us better suited for an environment. Yet these genetic changes have their cons. Like inheriting addiction genes. They might allow medication to better work for you, but leave you more vulnerable to addiction.

There’s no one gene behind this genetic disadvantage, and variations in multiple genes determine your genetic tendency to addiction. Additionally, environment factors like stress, trauma, etc also play a part.

So even if you do have genes that leave you more at risk, a better environment might be what kept you healthy. Again these environmental factors are a coincidence.

Changes in The Brain

In the long run, addiction changes areas of the brain that are critical to judgment, decision making, learning and memory, and behavior control. Scientists believe that these changes might help explain the compulsive and destructive behaviors of addiction.

This might explain why there is no reasoning with an addict when they are seeking that reward response and avoiding the withdrawal of whatever they are addicted to. Why do people stay in toxic relationships to avoid the withdrawal of heartbreak? Why do people continue to abuse drugs despite the chemicals gradually killing them?

So not only are some people more susceptible to addiction, addiction affects their brain in a way that the only reason they don’t respond to reasoning the way an average individual would. Seeking rehabilitation and trying to quit goes against what their brain is telling them. That is why recovery is a constant uphill struggle and people relapse so often.

We need to understand that addiction is a disease that could happen to any one of us. We are just lucky that social factors and genetics kept us from falling down that downwards spiral.

There is nothing we could have done to avoid this disease, had environmental factors and genetics not been in our favor.

So much like any other disease don’t hate the addict, hate the disease!