THE ESSENTIAL
- Several million people are affected by one or more addictions in France.
- The younger the consumption begins, the higher the risk of addiction.
“Addictions are cerebral pathologies defined by a dependency on a substance or an activity, with deleterious consequences.can we read on the site of the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm). Researchers are trying to better describe the mechanisms involved in the onset, maintenance and relapse of addictions”.
Addiction, a disease of the brain
Researchers from Yale University in the United States have published a video to explain addiction, which is now considered a disease of the brain. Succeeding in overcoming it is therefore not easy because it acts on our neurological system.
Alcohol, tobacco, drugs… Whatever the substance, addiction is always linked to the reward circuits. But how does it work? The first stage is the activation of this brain circuit by the substance consumed or the practice carried out. When it is stimulated by the consumption of a product for example, a chemical substance, called “dopamine”, is released in the brain and gives a feeling of satisfaction. It is therefore the search for this pleasure that will push the person to consume the addictive product once more.
Addictions: reduction in the amount of dopamine
But there is something more when a person becomes addicted to an addictive substance because it triggers an outsized response when it reaches the brain. Thus, instead of a simple feeling of pleasant satisfaction comparable to other substances, addictive products multiply the quantity of dopamine released and therefore the feeling of pleasure. Dependency is created in this way.
But when addiction sets in and substance use becomes regular, the brain circuitry eventually adapts and becomes less responsive to dopamine. In addition, the level of dopamine released with each consumption gradually decreases. Thus, to achieve the same feeling of pleasure as at the beginning, the person needs to consume more products. This can therefore have harmful effects in private and professional life because problems with concentration, memory and learning are associated with addiction.
Consuming to get out of a negative emotional state
When it comes to drug addiction, for example, the consumption of this substance is no longer a conscious decision but rather a habit, dictated by the brain. The person is no longer able to do without it because consumption allows him to get out of a negative emotional state and no longer aims to take pleasure. We are talking here regarding loss of control when the person no longer has the ability to resist the desire to consume and there is therefore no longer any real decision-making. So, as much of the addiction comes from the brain, withdrawal must be taken care of medically.
