Drugs And Your Brain

THE DRUGS AND YOUR BRAIN HOW YOUR BRAIN WORKS? PLEASURE DOPAMINE Pleasure, also called reward, is a very powerful biological force. If you do something pleasing, the brain is wired in such a way that you tend replicate the action to receive the same reward. NEURONS Dopamine is the chemical often associated with feelings of pleasure and euphoria Dopamine travels between brain cells, called neurons, and bind to receptors that trigger good feelings. Normally, this dopamine would be reabsorbed back into the neuron by a dopamine transporter. NEURONS Life sustaining activities, such as eating, activate a circuit of specialized nerve cells devoted to producing and regulating pleasure. Dopamine Production Pleasure Receptors DRUGS ALTER THIS PROCESS (C COCAINE Dopamine Transporter Some drugs, like cocaine, alter this process by attaching to dopamine transporter and blocking the reabsorption, allowing dopamine to build up and continually stimulate the receptors. 10 MINUTES Continually Dopamine Production Pleasure Receptors As a result, you might feel really good for about 10 minutes, in the case of cocaine; but, soon after, dopamine levels in the brain plummet, causing extremely low feelings of depression, which is why many users consume larger and more frequent amounts of the drug hoping to reach that first high. All addictive drugs can activate the brain's pleasure center. Drug addiction is a biological, pathological process that alters the way in which the pleasure center and other parts of the brain function; and, almost all drugs that change the way the brain works do so by affecting chemical 10 Min. Transporter Blocked DEPRESSION neurotransmission. DIRECT CONSEQUENSES OF DRUGS IN THE BRAIN MEMORY MELTDOWN REWIRING ADDICTION FEAR AND RAGE OUT OF CONTROL Addiction is a brain disease. Over time, drugs change the brain's wiring and become less pleasurable. Areas of Smoking or ingesting marijuana can make it hard to remember what you just said or did. Drinking large amounts of alcohol quickly, known as binge drinking, can cause a "blackout"-after which you can't remember key details of a specific event or the event itself. Abusing cocaine, Drugs change the chemical makeup of the brain and how it works; and, because of this, drug addicts may not be able to stop using, even when they really want to and, even after, it causes terrible consequences to their health and in their lives. methamphetamine, Drugs, including marijuana and alcohol, can affect one's coordination and impair their ability to play sports or even drive. An intoxicated person risks losing control of themselves, which can lead to self-harm or causing steroids, and/or prescription stimulants can cause anxiety, hostility, and paranoia. the brain involved in decision making, learning, memory, sleep, emotion, and self-control are all affected and damaged by drugs. This rewiring/damage has been linked to lower IQs in teens and adults. Addiction can be treated and managed, but it is common for people to need treatment more than once; relapsing (starting to use again) is common. harm to others.