Stating that all behaviors are related to the pleasure-oriented system in the brain, experts state that substance addiction disrupts the normally functioning reward mechanism in the brain and that the pleasure given by the actions done with love is not enough after a while.
Psychiatry Specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Noyan from NPISTANBUL Hospital Alcohol and Drug Addiction Treatment Center unit stated that substance addiction has an extremely negative effect on the feeling of pleasure in the brain and pointed out that if there is no treatment, the patient will not be able to notice and prevent the negativities in his life.
Normal dopamine level varies between 20 - 100 units
Stating that the dopamine hormone secreted by the brain of a normal person in daily activities varies between 20 and 100, Psychiatry Specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Noyan said, "There is a hormone we call dopamine. All our behaviors release dopamine in the brain. For example, when we eat a favorite food, 20 units of dopamine are secreted in the brain. When we go to a place and chat with a friend, 40-50 units, when we do sports, 60-70 units, when our favorite team becomes a champion, when we read a book or go to the movies, 80-90 units of dopamine hormone is secreted in our brain. When we fall in love with someone, we continue our lives with 90-100 units."
Substance addiction disrupts hormone balance
Stating that the level of the dopamine hormone in the brain quickly goes out of normal with substance intake, Noyan said, "When an individual meets and uses the substance, the level of dopamine in the brain suddenly rises to 400-500. Then it drops rapidly. The person questions what he/she is experiencing with this situation and wants to try again because he/she gets a high level of pleasure, and when he/she experiences a high dose of dopamine again, he/she decides to use the substance continuously. After a while, this dopamine level drops to 400 to 500 with regular use. When it is not enough for the individual, he increases the amount and even tries other substances. Since it is in a constant search, the brain raises its own threshold after a while in such a search. As a result, the brain starts not to enjoy normal activities."
The brain's braking feature is lost
Stating that high doses of dopamine interfere with the healthy functioning of brain cells, Noyan said: "The high dose of dopamine that occurs with substance abuse disrupts the functioning of cells in the frontal region of our brain. The task of the frontal region is to act as a brake. We can also call this area the self-control area in the brain that stops any inappropriate behavior. Since the brain is affected by high doses of dopamine, after a while it cannot stop inappropriate behaviors and thoughts of the individual sufficiently. When the desire to use substances comes, even if the person states that he/she has quit and will not use, he/she uses substances again because the frontal region of the brain has lost its braking function. In this process, the brake and pleasure regions of the brain no longer work."
Decision-making mechanism also loses its function
Stating that in a normal brain, the frontal region also has a healthy decision-making function, Psychiatry Specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Noyan continued his words as follows; "The third function of the frontal region of our brain is to make healthy decisions. When the brain, which analyzes short and long-term profit and loss, is poisoned by high doses of dopamine and loses its ability to work, it focuses on instant gratification and reward and minimizes long-term damage, that is, it does not care. What we call addiction is ultimately a future blindness, the inability to learn from negative consequences. The individual focuses only on the positive feeling they will experience at that moment and actually loses their future. He cannot realize the negativities and shortcomings in his life because of his addiction."
