How Your Brain is Affected by Addiction

Drug addiction can be detrimental to your well-being moving forward. Not only does it alienate your loved ones and friends, but it can affect your job prospects, lead to trouble with the law, and more.

More troubling, however, is how drugs affect the brain. Ever wonder what happens in your head when affected by the throws of addiction? Read on for some eye-opening information.

How Drugs Affect the Brain

First, let's talk about what drugs actually do. When you see addiction recovery tips, you rarely hear about the benefits your brain can experience. But it's an important thing to understand.

You see, drugs change how neurons send and receive signals. Some drugs mimic the brain's natural chemistry. But, most don't activate neurons in the same way as natural neurotransmitters. As a result, you get abnormal messages that affect your perception of the world.

Hard drugs like amphetamine and cocaine prevent the normal cycling of brain chemicals. The result? Amplified disruptions with potentially long-lasting impacts.

Drugs and Their Effects on Life-Sustaining Functions

Here's the rough stuff. Drugs and addiction can affect many functions that keep you alive and happy.

Let's start with the basal ganglia. This part of the brain affects aspects like pleasure, social, and more. When you take drugs, the basal ganglia become desensitized to new stimulation. As a result, it becomes harder and harder to feel pleasure from anything but drugs.

The extended amygdala is the part of your brain that controls anxiety. It becomes sensitive with drug use. With continued use, you may become more prone to anxious thoughts. Then, the drug becomes more of a self-medicating act than a way to get pleasure.

Finally, there's the prefrontal cortex. It's responsible for your decision-making and problem-solving skills. Drug use impacts the brain circuits, leading to poor impulse control.

The Road to Recovery

Getting help is your first step to recovery. Drug addiction is difficult to overcome, but you can start your journey to sobriety with addiction recovery tips and a reliable support system.

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