good outcome ^^
Alcohol and Dopamine Addiction While drinking initially boosts a person’s dopamine levels, the brain adapts to the dopamine overload with continued alcohol use. It starts to produce less of the chemical, reduce the number of dopamine receptors in the body and increase dopamine transporters, which ferry away the excess dopamine in the spaces between brain cells. As dopamine levels plummet, so does your mood. As a result, people with an alcohol addiction may consume even more alcohol in an unconscious effort to boost their dopamine levels and get that spark back. Research is shedding more light on the role dopamine plays in alcohol addiction. A small study by researchers at Columbia University revealed that the dopamine produced during drinking is concentrated in the brain’s reward center. The study further found that men exhibit a greater release of dopamine when they drink than women. These findings could explain why men are more than twice as likely as women to develop an alcohol use disorder. Other research indicates that some people tend to have a higher release of and response to dopamine than others. In addition, those individuals may be predisposed to drink more heavily and develop an alcohol addiction. Researchers at McGill University in Canada performed positron emission tomography (PET) brain scans on 26 social drinkers and noted a “distinctive brain response” in the higher-risk subjects after they consumed three alcoholic drinks. Marco Leyton, a professor and addiction researcher at McGill University’s Department of Psychiatry, said in a 2013 press release that participants more at risk for developing alcoholism had “an unusually large brain dopamine response” when they took a drink. Leyton theorized that the large response might “energize reward-seeking behaviors” and counteract the alcohol’s sedative effects. Likewise, those who have a minimal dopamine release when drinking “might find the sedative effects of alcohol especially pronounced.”
https://www.drugrehab.com/addiction/alcohol/alcoholism/alcohol-and-dopamine/
"Scientists have concluded that the cause of addiction is 50-60% genetics and 40-50% environment. Some people have less active reward centres, causing them to feel depressed and lifeless even before they experiment with drugs. For many, the first experimentation with drugs is an attempt to fill a void. Famous comedian and recovering addict Russell Brand said, “Drugs and alcohol are not my problem, reality is my problem, drugs and alcohol are my solution.” He continued, “I look to drugs and booze to fill up a hole in me.”
i have been doing some research in this area. turns out most drugs and alcohol change the brains dopamine system. im not sure if this damage is reversible. still researching. maybe understanding this will help someone to know why they are craving.
"Stopping drug use doesn’t immediately return the brain to normal. Some drugs have toxic effects that can kill neurons—and most of these cells will not be replaced. And while changes to connections between neurons in the brain may not be permanent, some last for months. Some research suggests the changes may even last for years.
Long-lasting brain changes can make it challenging for addicts to stay drug-free. They often experience intense cravings, leading to relapse."
not trivializing alcohol but meth is the real killer here. people choose meth over life. it has a huge dopamine flooding response. something like 4 times that of cocaine. adderall is very similar to meth. i have been looking at some adderall studies. very interesting. i think meth just kills you faster than alcohol.
i was looking for a chart that has each drug and their effects rating on the dopamine system. still looking
Alcohol and Dopamine Addiction While drinking initially boosts a person’s dopamine levels, the brain adapts to the dopamine overload with continued alcohol use. It starts to produce less of the chemical, reduce the number of dopamine receptors in the body and increase dopamine transporters, which ferry away the excess dopamine in the spaces between brain cells. As dopamine levels plummet, so does your mood. As a result, people with an alcohol addiction may consume even more alcohol in an unconscious effort to boost their dopamine levels and get that spark back. Research is shedding more light on the role dopamine plays in alcohol addiction. A small study by researchers at Columbia University revealed that the dopamine produced during drinking is concentrated in the brain’s reward center. The study further found that men exhibit a greater release of dopamine when they drink than women. These findings could explain why men are more than twice as likely as women to develop an alcohol use disorder. Other research indicates that some people tend to have a higher release of and response to dopamine than others. In addition, those individuals may be predisposed to drink more heavily and develop an alcohol addiction. Researchers at McGill University in Canada performed positron emission tomography (PET) brain scans on 26 social drinkers and noted a “distinctive brain response” in the higher-risk subjects after they consumed three alcoholic drinks. Marco Leyton, a professor and addiction researcher at McGill University’s Department of Psychiatry, said in a 2013 press release that participants more at risk for developing alcoholism had “an unusually large brain dopamine response” when they took a drink. Leyton theorized that the large response might “energize reward-seeking behaviors” and counteract the alcohol’s sedative effects. Likewise, those who have a minimal dopamine release when drinking “might find the sedative effects of alcohol especially pronounced.”
https://www.drugrehab.com/addiction/alcohol/alcoholism/alcohol-and-dopamine/
"Scientists have concluded that the cause of addiction is 50-60% genetics and 40-50% environment. Some people have less active reward centres, causing them to feel depressed and lifeless even before they experiment with drugs. For many, the first experimentation with drugs is an attempt to fill a void. Famous comedian and recovering addict Russell Brand said, “Drugs and alcohol are not my problem, reality is my problem, drugs and alcohol are my solution.” He continued, “I look to drugs and booze to fill up a hole in me.”
i have been doing some research in this area. turns out most drugs and alcohol change the brains dopamine system. im not sure if this damage is reversible. still researching. maybe understanding this will help someone to know why they are craving.
"Stopping drug use doesn’t immediately return the brain to normal. Some drugs have toxic effects that can kill neurons—and most of these cells will not be replaced. And while changes to connections between neurons in the brain may not be permanent, some last for months. Some research suggests the changes may even last for years.
Long-lasting brain changes can make it challenging for addicts to stay drug-free. They often experience intense cravings, leading to relapse."
not trivializing alcohol but meth is the real killer here. people choose meth over life. it has a huge dopamine flooding response. something like 4 times that of cocaine. adderall is very similar to meth. i have been looking at some adderall studies. very interesting. i think meth just kills you faster than alcohol.
i was looking for a chart that has each drug and their effects rating on the dopamine system. still looking
I read this on the train, that's very nice thanks
