The Science Behind Addiction
We currently live in a society that pushes, no rather encourages, people to live on the brink of the extremes. Instant gratification and snapshot-worthy moments have become ingrained into our very beings to such an extent that there’s no escaping… that is unless you can use a crutch in addiction.
Addiction is rife throughout society, and not all addiction relates to the use of substances as commonly thought of. Have you ever taken a moment to understand the science behind addiction and both how it gets ingrained within our mental framework and why it’s so difficult to break free from? Let’s break down those very questions in this post to become more aware of potentially unhealthy behaviors teetering on the verge of addiction.
What’s the definition of addiction?
Merriam-Webster defines addiction as:
A compulsive, chronic, physiological, or psychological need for a habit-forming substance, behavior, or activity having harmful physical, psychological, or social effects and typically causing well-defined symptoms (such as anxiety, irritability, tremors, or nausea) upon withdrawal or abstinence
Addiction is not purely a bad habit or act; rather, it’s a change to the mental framework of our minds that overtakes normal judgment and behaviors.
What causes addiction?
Addictive behaviors and/or substances can create rewarding experiences, often commonly referred to as “highs”, that can have both a physical and physiological basis. As with any habit, the more one indulges in these behaviors and/or substances to achieve the same high over and over again, it becomes more difficult to control.
To understand what’s truly going on in the brain, there are three stages that can help us dissect the cycle of addiction:
Binge and Intoxication Phase
When indulging in enjoyable behaviors and/or substances, the basal ganglia, commonly associated as the reward system, is activated in the brain. This part of the brain releases dopamine, the neurotransmitter that produces the “high” that is craved.
Upon the release of dopamine, the brain’s chemical balance is reordered, thus affecting things such as mood, stress, and decision making capabilities. As time progresses, one can see how this can leave a lasting imprint on our chemical makeup.
Withdrawal and Negative Affect Phase
As a result of the chronic use of substances or chronic indulgences towards certain behaviors, the reward system in the brain goes through a “rebalancing” act where the amount of dopamine naturally released by the brain is reduced.
This points out the focal point where addiction happens, since individuals will need to seek out more of the addicting substance or behavior in order to achieve that same high again given how less rewarding non-addicting activities become.
Since there is less natural dopamine produced, individuals rely on their crutch in either substances or behaviors in order to live their normal, day-to-day lives. This is when the withdrawal phase begins to activate since the reward sensation threshold has been drastically moved if one cannot obtain their addictive crutch.
Due to this change, many parts of the brain and nervous system become affected, pointing to the reason that addiction is as much mental as it is physical. It’s these negative mental and physical effects that cause individuals to seek out substances or behaviors in order to avoid the negative withdrawal symptoms, which in of itself perpetuates the compulsive behavior.
Preoccupation and Anticipation
Changes to the brain chemical levels as a result of addictive substances and behaviors set the stage for preoccupation and anticipation. Individuals crave their addictive substances and/or behaviors due to their powerful effect of having rewired the brain circuitry by interweaving the addictive substance and/or behavior into the mix. This leads to conditional reinforcement where the environmental factors become associated with the high.
As a result, the brain’s healthy decision making process gets overridden due to this continual conditional reinforcement through the form of triggers. Whenever an individual is exposed to the environment associated with the high, the brain adapts to its surroundings and overrides normal, healthy decisions in anticipation of the high.
Unfortunately, this conditional reinforcement only serves to further perpetuate the individual whenever they engage in their addictive substance or behavior, thus making it harder to stop them from using or engaging in the behavior due to the chemical restructuring of the brain. In turn, this starts this entire cycle all over again from the binge and intoxication phase all the way down to the withdrawal phase which is then supplemented by the preoccupation and anticipation phase.
Now with a more sound, scientifically based understanding of addiction, we can begin processing and understanding how addiction forms and affects people on a deeper level. Before going forward, I’d like to preface by saying that not all addictions are inherently bad as commonly denoted, but it is healthier to indulge in moderation as most would say.
With this newfound understanding, we can more proactively anticipate addiction onset, whether it’s personally or with our friends or loved ones. Fortunately, if one is to become addicted to a certain substance or behavior, it is indeed treatable through different forms of therapy, such as:
Psychotherapy and group therapy for behavioral addictions
Self help and support groups
Medication for mental disorders
Medical services to help treat serious complications such as from the withdrawal phase
By no means an all encompassing list, these are just a few of many options available to treat addiction. I pray that most of us, with this newfound knowledge for how addiction works, can spot unhealthy addiction onset earlier before having to seek out these options. But even if one does get to that point, at least we all know that there is help out there available for anyone.
Before I end off this post, I do also want to come back around to the idea that there can be such a thing as “positive addiction”. Positive addictions enhance life through greater confidence, more creativity, and increased happiness. So as long as the "addiction” does not dominate one’s entire life or lead to a self-critical attitude, positive addictions can exist - think of them like healthy habits.
It’s a fine, delicate line to see through whether or not a positive addiction may in actuality be negative, but at least you know the science behind addiction to know what you’re up against.
Disclaimer: I am not, nor claim to be, a health professional. Please consult your health physician if you, or someone you know, have an addiction and would like to be evaluated for the best treatment and therapy options based on your health situation. I am not liable for any actions taken upon reading this post.
“All the suffering, stress and addiction comes from not realizing you already are what you are looking for. “ - Jon Kabat-Zinn
