The Neuroscience and Psychology of Addiction

Human beings are wired to seek pleasure. We pursue activities that make us feel good, then we strive to repeat that behaviour. This is a natural instinct that supports our survival.

However, neuroscientists have shown how addictions fundamentally rewire the brain’s natural reward system, affecting decision-making and memory. This blog explores how drug addiction exploits these changes, the effects on mental health and ways to support the recovery process.

What is neuroscience, and how does it relate to addiction?

At its most basic, neuroscience is the study of the nervous system and how it relates to your brain. The brain is an incredibly complex system that shapes our thoughts, emotions and behaviours. Neuroscience is an area of study that helps us better understand why we do what we do, including actions that are not healthy or good for us.

Neuroscience in addiction examines how a substance alters the brain’s normal functioning. Addictions can be characterised by three distinct features:

• Cravings: Cravings are a common feature of an addictive disorder. Addiction causes intense desire and urges to return to the drug, despite harmful consequences.
• Tolerance: Over time, frequently using a substance makes your body more adept at tolerating its effects, meaning more of the substance is needed each time to achieve the same results.
• Dependence: As the drug is taken away and exits the body, you feel worse and can experience painful physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms.

At the core of how an addiction affects you psychologically is the brain’s reward system. This system reinforces thoughts and actions that help us survive, like eating or socialising. When a person has an addiction, taking the drug is driven by pharmacological effects, which are experienced as a reward, but over time, these rewards come with dire aftereffects.

Addiction-forming in the brain from childhood onward

The brain’s development from childhood to adulthood plays a crucial role in the formation of habits and addictions. Research shows that by the time children in England finish secondary school, 65% will have tried alcohol. A quarter of pupils reported ever trying vaping, and 13% reported they had previously taken a drug.

These shocking statistics are critical because one of the primary contributors to developing a substance use disorder (SUD) is early exposure. Research shows that the majority of adults who have a substance use disorder started using before the age of 18, and developed the disorder by age 20.

This shows how addiction-forming is affected by the experiences that shape us when we are young. Our cultural and social surroundings in early life can make us more or less likely to try a drug and, in turn, become addicted.

As well as the environmental factors that can make someone more likely to develop a substance use disorder, genetics can also increase a person’s susceptibility. Some research suggests that up to half of the risk for developing an SUD is from genetic factors. People with fewer dopamine D2 receptors – partially determined by genetics –  may be more likely to develop an addiction to alcohol, cocaine, or heroin.

How addiction affects the brain

The brain is one of the most complex organs in our bodies. It is extremely dynamic, constantly functioning to keep us adapted to our surroundings and ensuring our survival. However, the brain’s ability to be so adaptive and receptive may contribute to the ways addictions form.

A drug or alcohol addiction takes hold and causes changes in the brain in at least three fundamental ways:

The brain’s natural balance (homeostasis)

A useful way to understand how substances form an addiction in the brain is through a disruption of your “homeostasis.” Scientists think of the human body as a biological system and use this word to conceptualise the way your body self-regulates to maintain stability, regardless of what’s happening outside of it. Your brain is like an “overseer” of your homeostasis, measuring it as a baseline in which you feel fine or normal.

Chronic over-stimulation of the brain, such as what happens in addiction, massively alters how your brain maintains this balance (homeostasis). When you’re addicted, taking the substance gives you pleasure, and as this repeats, the wonderfully adaptive brain makes adjustments. Over time, the brain shifts its baseline of normalcy, creating a new balance called “allostasis.” This can mean you only feel normal when the substance is present. Taking a drug and feeling “high” starts to become a way of coping day-to-day, perpetuating the cycle of addiction.

The brain’s communication pathways

Drugs impair the way neurons in your nervous system send, receive and process signals using neurotransmitters. Some drugs like heroin and marijuana can attach to and activate neurons in your nervous system. Stimulants like cocaine trigger an excessive release of dopamine. This leads to misleading messages being sent to your brain, impairing the natural way your brain communicates with your body.

Addictions “hijack” the system of communication your brain needs to function properly. The brain’s reward system is massively affected by addictive substances. Taking a drug can flood the brain with dopamine, creating an immediate sense of euphoria.

Decision-making and memory

One of the most damaging effects of addiction on the brain is how it alters your ability to make the right decisions or the decisions you would make if not addicted. Research shows how abusing a substance directly damages key brain systems, including decision-making and memory. The brain regions responsible for weighing risks, making rational choices, and recalling past experiences can all be impaired through repeated drug use.

Further research shows that the impairments in your decision-making ability can be both a cause and a consequence of substance use disorders. This creates an incredibly vicious cycle that keeps the dangerous fire of addiction burning.

How therapy can aid in addiction recovery

Breaking free from addiction can be incredibly challenging as it’s often more than just physical dependence. Addictions are deeply rooted in emotional and psychological triggers, which therapy can help you work through.

Therapy in recovery creates a space to explore the deeper psychological causes of addiction, like stress, trauma and mental health challenges. Techniques like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) are used to help combat the negative thought patterns that often drive substance use.

Addictions can disrupt professional life and erode essential social and life skills. Group therapy and family counselling can repair and support relationships that often break down as addiction worsens.

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is another approach that aids the management of emotions and mental health conditions common in addiction. Expert therapists guide clients through four key skills: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness.

For many people who have an addiction, therapy treatments within detox help create healthier habits that replace destructive behaviours, setting them up with the skills for sustained, lifelong sobriety.

I need support with an addiction

If you or someone close to you is suffering from an addiction, getting help at the right time can be a matter of urgency. This is where we’d like to extend a hand in support.

Here at UKAT, we specialise in addiction treatment. Our staff are expertly trained to deliver detox programmes that support you every step of the way. We help you to break free from addiction and give you the tools needed for lifelong sobriety.

The help you need is only one click or phone call away. Reach out to us today to take the first step in breaking free from addiction.