The Addicted Brain
Addiction isn't a moral failing—it's a brain condition. Understanding the neuroscience empowers you to work with your brain, not against it.
What You'll Learn
- How dopamine drives the addiction cycle
- The role of the prefrontal cortex in impulse control
- Why willpower alone isn't enough
- The science of neuroplasticity and recovery
Key Brain Regions
Prefrontal Cortex
Your brain's executive center. Responsible for decision-making, impulse control, and long-term planning. Addiction weakens this region.
Nucleus Accumbens
The brain's reward center. Releases dopamine in response to pleasurable activities. Addiction hijacks this system.
Amygdala
The threat detector. Stores emotional memories and triggers cravings when reminded of past use.
Hippocampus
Memory formation center. Creates strong associations between cues and rewards, leading to automatic behaviors.
The Dopamine Trap
Addictive behaviors flood the brain with dopamine—far more than natural rewards provide. Over time, the brain adapts by:
- Reducing dopamine receptors (tolerance)
- Decreasing baseline dopamine (withdrawal)
- Strengthening cue-behavior associations (triggers)
Understanding this cycle is the first step to breaking it.