The Effects of Dopamine Addiction on the Brain

 by Sidra Nouyan

There is no doubt that substances such as drugs, alcohol and even our own smartphones can hijack the brain and affect our reward centres. But how exactly does this happen and how does this lead to

addiction?

First of all, what is dopamine? Dopamine, also known as a ‘feel-good hormone’, is a type of neurotransmitter produced in the brain that is essential in motivating our behaviour and what we do. It gets released after exercise, sugar and most importantly when we have successful social interactions. Positive social stimuli will cause our brains to release dopamine which reinforces the same behaviour. smartphones have provided us with an unlimited supply of these stimuli. every Instagram like and tiktok notification is enough to cause a dopamine influx. It rewards us for beneficial behaviours and motivates us to repeat them, overall making us feel good which can easily lead to addiction.

 Low levels of dopamine have been linked to many mental disorders and illnesses such as depression, problems with motivation or issues with working memory. equally, high levels of dopamine can also be harmful for us. There are certain activities which cause a ‘dopamine rush’ such as social media, drugs or even activities such as shopping. Every time we do one of these activities, the brain releases a small amount of dopamine that makes us feel good about ourselves which in turn causes us to keep doing it. Usually, dopamine is harmless and is just a way for reinforcement for beneficial activities such as having a balanced diet and lifestyle however there is also a darker side linked to the intense feeling

which comes with drugs which can lead to overindulging in alcohol or recreational drugs. This is because the release causes the brain to have a trong memory of the pleasure felt which prompts us to make an effort to experience this again by repeating it despite any physical, mental or financial consequences, leading to long term addiction.

 When it comes to drugs, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that one in 10 adults had used an illicit drug in the past month. However drugs interfere with the naturally occurring chemicals in the brain worse than other substances e.g. NIDA published that drugs can stimulate 2-10 times more dopamine to be released than things like food.

This leads to a burst of dopamine, or the ‘high’ that occurs when drugs are abused which causes a highly pleasurable and addictive feeling and therefore individuals are often keen with repeating this with recurring drug use. However, regular drug use can actually cause the brain to produce and absorb less dopamine resulting in a chemical imbalance in the brain. Therefore, when drugs are not being used, dopamine levels drop causing uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms and powerful cravings. This causes drug dependence and individuals may feel compelled to avoid these negative emotional and physical withdrawal symptoms which causes severe dependency as the brain now no longer functions normally without the drugs. It leads to a loss of control over the frequency and amount of drugs taken. This imbalance also takes time to heal as most of the damage can be reversed over time however some side effects may not heal entirely.

 The same concept can be applied to other factors which may seem harmless but can in fact lead to a similar dependency such as video games, social media and gambling. However, dopamine detox can help reverse the effects of addiction. By not engaging with any activity which stimulates the brain and replacing them with healthy activities, you are abstaining from those instant hits of dopamine. In general, it is thought that the dopamine levels in the brain take about 12-14 months to return to normal levels.