Addiction

what is addiction?

a chronic, relapsing disorder that causes long-last changes to brain chemistry and workings

how does addiction work?

it rewards positive essential behaviors that cause pleasure

what neurotransmitter chemical is associated with addiction?

dopamine

what do addictive drugs do?

they cause dopamine levels to go up

when a person keeps abusing a drug,

the brain will become used to the higher dopamine level caused by it

over time, the brain..

lowers the amount of dopamine it makes on its own

your brain doesn’t fully mature until you’re

25

several factors of addiction

genetics, age, environment, values, mental health, and type of drug

what are the five stages of addiction in order?

first use, continued use, tolerance, dependence, addiction