Dual Diagnosis Treatment Center in Shoreline
What happens to the brain when a person takes drugs?
Most drugs affect the brain's "reward circuit," causing euphoria as well as flooding it with the chemical messenger dopamine. A properly functioning reward system motivates a person to repeat behaviors needed to thrive, such as eating and spending time with loved ones. Surges of dopamine in the reward circuit cause the reinforcement of pleasurable but unhealthy behaviors like taking drugs, leading people to repeat the behavior again and again.
As a person continues to use drugs, the brain adapts by reducing the ability of cells in the reward circuit to respond to it. This reduces the high that the person feels compared to the high they felt when first taking the drug—an effect known as tolerance. They might take more of the drug to try and achieve the same high. These brain adaptations often lead to the person becoming less and less able to derive pleasure from other things they once enjoyed, like food, sex, or social activities.
Long-term use also causes changes in other brain chemical systems and circuits as well, affecting functions that include: learning, judgment, decision-making, stress, memory, behavior. Despite being aware of these harmful outcomes, many people who use drugs continue to take them, which is the nature of addiction.
What happens to your brain when you consume drugs? The Effects on Your Brain: Drugs can have a profound effect on your brain. Your brain is designed to encourage you to repeat the situations that make it feel good. You'll be motivated to do the same thing again and again.
The brain's reward circuit is affected by most drugs. These drugs can cause euphoria and flood it with dopamine. A functioning reward system encourages people to do the things that are necessary to thrive. Dopamine surges in the reward circuit encourage the reinforcement of harmful but enjoyable behaviours, such as using drugs. This prompts people to do the same thing over and over again.
The brain adjusts as a result of continued drug use by decreasing the ability of reward circuit cells to respond to the drug. This decreases the feeling of high, relative to when they first took the drug. This is known as tolerance. To get the same high, they could take more of it. This brain adaptation often leads to the person being less able or unable to enjoy other activities, such as food and sex.
Long-term drug use can also cause brain chemical and circuit changes. This alters activities such as learning, judgement, decision making, stress, memory, and behaviour. Many people continue to use drugs despite knowing the adverse effects. This is what addiction is all about.