Addiction: Why it’s Not as Simple as it Sounds
By Brianna Sullivan
Does addiction make it hard for you or someone you love to carry out day-to-day tasks or to experience life in general? Not too long ago, addiction was classified as a moral failure because no one knew that the brain wiring can be repaired to fight addiction. It was also thought that addicts could stop using if they really wanted to, as if it were a personal choice. It was seen that addicts want to give up everything they have just to get the pleasure of a high. Of course, this is not the case. Scientists and medical practitioners have now been able to study animals on drugs and scan the brains of human volunteers. Due to this, we now know that addiction causes physical changes to the brain’s anatomy.
In addicts, there is a specific receptor that is decreased. This is called the D2 receptor. D2 receptors are especially important in the frontal areas of the brain, which affects self-control. This part of the brain regulates the function of self-control and explains why addicts have trouble with impulsive and compulsive administration of their preferred drug. Addicts have a reduction in the levels of dopamine D2 receptors, and D2 can change the ability for self-control because the brain is physically changing in response to the drug. A decrease in the receptor availability means that there is a decrease in self-control. For example, the prefrontal cortex is a frontal part of the brain. People who don’t have this part of the brain fully developed, like teenagers, will participate in risky behaviors. Their decision-making and self-control also are not fully developed yet, so they are more likely to engage in these behaviors.
The decrease in these receptors can be caused by the repeated use of drugs because the longer you use drugs, the more drugs it takes to get you high. This is known as tolerance. The more drugs you take for a prolonged amount of time, the more D2 receptors decrease. Drugs artificially flood pathways with dopamine. The rush can rewire your brain to want more drugs. A good example of this would be cocaine, meth, and heroin. Cocaine blocks dopamine transporters, which prevents the removal of excess dopamine from the synapses. Meth floods the terminals of neurons, which can put dopamine in the wrong spot in the synapses instead. Heroin blocks dopamine inhibitors altogether, which causes synapses to flood with dopamine.
So this leaves us with the question of “who is more likely to become an addict?” The answer to this is that it is a combination of genes and the environment surrounding a person. D2 receptors can be modified with genetics. For example, if you have a history of addiction within your family, you are more likely to be an addict as well. Our genetics, developmental trajectories, and social circumstances are more vulnerable to the disorders of addiction than others.
What do you think an addict is addicted to? Is it drugs or alcohol? Of course, there are other things you can be addicted to such as social media, sex, or even food. The concept of food being addictive might surprise some people. Oftentimes, people are called lazy in response to being overweight/obese. According to “Food Addiction: A Valid Concept” by Paul C. Fletcher and Paul J. Kenny, it is “self-evident that at least some overweight individuals struggle to control their food intake even when their health and well-being depend on it in a manner that is analogous or even homologous to those affected by SUDs who struggle to control their drug use.” Paul and Kenny’s statement shows that it is not so simple to just eat healthily and exercise to be at a “healthy” weight. Food can be an addiction, especially because it triggers the reward system to keep wanting more food.
Due to the fact that a person might be more likely to be an addict because of the make-up of their genes, you might be wondering what can be done to prevent addiction. The modification of D2 receptors is possible. Since D2 receptors are decreased in addicts, it can be important to get dopamine from elsewhere. Dopamine can be increased naturally with eating more protein, eating less fat, consuming probiotics, sleeping, exercising, listening to music, etc.
In conclusion, addiction is not as simple as it sounds. It is also not a moral failure. There are certain people who are more likely to get addicted to something and there are so many things that a person can be addicted to. It is tricky to tell what a person can be addicted to because the term “addiction” can vary from person to person. It is also important to know that just because you are more likely to become addicted to something, doesn’t mean you will. There are also steps that can be taken to reduce the risk of developing an addiction, such as modifying the D2 receptor. Overall, brain science can help us better understand and treat the complexities of addiction.
References
Fletcher, P.C., Kenny, P.J. Food addiction: a valid concept?. Neuropsychopharmacol 43, 2506–2513 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41386-018-0203-9
Julson, Erica. “10 Best Ways to Increase Dopamine Levels Naturally.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 10 May 2018, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-increase-dopamine#TOC_TITLE_HDR_2 .