Effects of Addiction on the Brain
There are countless dangers associated with addiction and how drug addiction affects the brain is among the most dangerous. On the surface, an addiction consists of your brain being impacted by the effects of a chemical substance. When you become addicted to drugs, your brain begins to lose control over rational thinking, and certain cravings and impulses begin to manifest. As a result, you will no longer be able to live the life you once lived when you were sober because your day will start to revolve around thoughts associated with your addiction.
What Happens to the Brain During Addiction?
It’s important to remember that addiction impacts every person differently. As a result, your brain may give off different signals depending on your drug of choice. For example, it’s not uncommon for a person addicted to cocaine to feel an extreme sense of happiness. However, for another person, they may begin to feel extremely paranoid. Regardless of how you feel, each time you consume this drug, you are slowly but surely changing the overall chemistry of your brain, which can have dangerous and life-threatening consequences.
How Addiction Develops in the Brain
When your brain is consistently exposed to a drug, it begins to become accustomed to the effects. As a result, it will start to crave that substance. It’s important to realize that overcoming an addiction isn’t as simple as turning off a light switch. The more you consume your drug of choice, the more likely you will feel the damaging physical and psychological effects.
The Brain and Withdrawal
Withdrawal can often feel like the scariest aspect of your recovery. Although you may be ready to overcome your addiction, it doesn’t mean that you will not feel the physical impact of that decision. Your brain will come to a point where signals are sent throughout your body craving the drug. When you don’t consume that drug, your body will, in turn, go into a tailspin. In most cases, you will begin to feel withdrawal symptoms within a few hours of the time that you last consumed that drug. These symptoms can be potentially deadly, which is why it’s never recommended that you go through the withdrawal process by yourself.
Healing the Brain From Addiction
It’s critical to remember that your addiction did not develop overnight. It took several days, months, and even years for your brain and body to get to the point where you realize that you have no other option other than to look for help. As a result, it will take time for your brain to recover from addiction truly.
Part of the healing process is participating in different forms of therapy. Taking part in various types of counseling openly and honestly can help to retrain your brain to develop a better understanding of how to react to certain situations that may have stressed you out and pushed you toward addiction. Group therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and individual therapy will help you realize the events in your life that may have contributed to your addiction and help you avoid relapse in the future.
Comprehensive Addiction Treatment at Muse
If you have more questions about how drug addiction affects the brain or you would like to take the first steps toward overcoming your drug addiction, the Muse Treatment team in Los Angeles is here to help you. We pride ourselves on taking an individualized approach to addiction because we understand that addiction impacts people differently. During your treatment, you will learn more about the different dynamics of addiction and what you can do to help you avoid falling back into the hold of addiction by knowing how drug addiction affects the brain. When you are ready to start your journey, please reach out to us at (800) 426-1818.
