The Brain and Drug Abuse
Some drugs can be more addictive than others. With the help of science we can now scan the brain and see how certain activities affect the brain. It is evident from images of the brain that drugs become an addiction because they affect the neurons and how they behave. Often, drugs affect those parts of the brain that receive signals of pleasure.
What Happens to the Brain of a Drug Abuser?
Drug abuse alters a person’s judgement, memory, decision-making and how they perceive pleasure. Drug abuse can hinder the function of neurons and the person is only able to identify drugs as the source of pleasure. They begin indulging in risky behaviors and will do whatever it takes to get their hands on their drug of choice. As the drug begins to control the person they no longer find joy in the things they once loved. The brain only remembers the pleasure it experienced from the drug. The person is no longer able to behave as an upstanding citizen of society, a friend, romantic partner or family member.
Reasons Behind Addiction
There are brain processes that have been well documented and are shown to significantly contribute to how an addiction develops. Some people experience the changes addiction causes more severely and earlier than others. Science is still trying to figure out the reason for that and there is a hypothesis that there are certain biophysical factors that come into play.