Substance Abuse disorders occur due to changes in brain chemistry and biology due to excessive intake of drugs or alcohol. It usually occurs due to the effects of psychoactive agents including depressants like alcohol and benzodiazepines, stimulants like caffeine and cocaine, hallucinogens like LSD and some potent forms of Marijuana, and opioids, that alter the functioning of neurotransmitters in the brain. But one must remember that, not only is recovery from drug and alcohol abuse possible, it is also probable with surveys showing a 75% recovery rate. First we will look at the basic neuroscience behind addiction, followed by some ways to prevent substance misuse in the first place, after which we will delve into recovery.

Simplified Neuroscience of Addiction:

Our motivation and impulse to do things is modulated majorly by the desire and control circuits of the dopamine system. The desire circuit energizes humans towards evolutionarily important actions like engaging in an activity, procuring resources, building relationships, intake of food and drink, and so on. Dopamine is released and circulates through the mesolimbic cortex in anticipation of these actions which provides the impulse to engage in them. The control circuit located in the prefrontal cortex deals with planning, judgement, decision making and such higher order actions in order to mediate the desire circuit and direct its impulses towards meaningful and productive areas. In addiction, dopamine is released in anticipation of ingesting drugs or alcohol, when environmental and behavioral cues of previous instances of substance use are identified, which makes the individual energized towards the action of substance use. In addition to this the control circuit fails to mediate the desire circuit and the impulse is undertaken.

Preventing Substance Use:

There may be certain strategies to prevent substance abuse to occur in the first place- Identify the reason behind why you want to consume substances, in order to be able to develop techniques to deal with that reason in a better and functional manner

Recovery:

Recovery from addiction to substances begins with cessation of usage of any psychoactive drugs. This will be difficult to do due to the high level of tolerance the body would have built where it needs more and more of the drug to have the same effect as before. This dependency created on the drug by the body can lead to intense withdrawal symptoms including fever, nausea, shaking, perspiration, delirium, seizures and so on which can last for a week or more depending on the intensity of the addiction. It is thus understandable that recovery doesn’t occur all at once, but in the following stages which are nonlinear: -

Post the maintenance stage, enough time is likely to have passed for the brain circuitry to have rewired and the dopamine circuits of desire and control to function as before. Damages to the brain can be reversed provided the problem is identified and worked on early enough, due to neuroplasticity of the brain, which allows new neural connection to be formed in place of the old ones.

Relapse:

The most common cause of relapse of an addiction to substances is exposure to environmental cues related to drug use. Here, the recovered individual faces an environmental stimulus that used to be associated with ingesting drugs and due to a classically conditioned association between the two, relapse may occur. Other factors that influence relapse include stress, interpersonal difficulties, peer pressure, lack of social support, pain due to injuries or medical problems and a lack of a sense of self-efficacy. Relapses commonly occur within 90 days of recovery and may be prevented with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy techniques such as urge surfing and being careful about the environmental stimuli one is exposed to.

Recovery from substance abuse hinges on understanding brain mechanisms and adopting preventive measures. With resilience and support, navigating stages of change leads to rewiring neural pathways, offering hope for lasting recovery despite challenges like relapse triggers.

For professional support, talk to a mental health expert at Heart It Out today!