The disease of addiction is NOT a disease due to CHARACTER, but a disease due to CHEMISTRY.

ADDICTION IS A BRAIN DISEASE! Addiction occurs in a subconscious area of the brain that is not under conscious control, the mesolimbic dopamine system. The brain mediates behavior. If there is a problem with the decision-making portion of the brain, can people say Addicts have poor “will-power” when that portion of the brain is not working properly? The disease of addiction is NOT a disease due to CHARACTER, but a disease due to CHEMISTRY. We depend on our brain's ability to release dopamine in order to experience pleasure and to motivate our responses to the natural rewards of everyday life. Drugs produce very large and rapid dopamine surges and the brain responds by reducing normal dopamine activity. Eventually, the disrupted dopamine system renders the addict incapable of feeling any pleasure even from the drugs they seek to feed their addiction.

A person takes a drug of abuse (marijuana, cocaine, alcohol...) and activates brain circuits linked to survival (eating, bonding). The brain wants it repeated. The need for drugs becomes more important than any other need (eating, love). The addict no longer seeks the drug for pleasure, but for "survival." Finally, control, choice and everything valuable in life (family, job) are lost to the disease of addiction.

Studies show that people diagnosed with mood or anxiety disorders are about twice as likely to also suffer from a drug use disorder, and the inverse is also true. We need to treat the underlying condition and stop self-medicating. Self medicating HURTS and messes with the neuro-chemistry of your brain.

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