Addiction severely alters the brain's reward system, shifting its sensitivity to dopamine, the chemical associated with pleasure and reinforcement. Substances like opioids or stimulants flood the brain with dopamine, creating a powerful euphoric effect. Over time, this excessive stimulation reduces the sensitivity of dopamine receptors, making natural rewards like social connections or hobbies feel unrewarding. This desensitization fuels substance-seeking behaviors to recapture the lost sense of pleasure. Recovery efforts focus on repairing this dysfunction through therapies that retrain the brain’s response to natural stimuli. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) helps individuals rediscover the value of non-drug-related rewards, while lifestyle changes like physical exercise boost dopamine production naturally. Medications targeting the reward pathway also offer support by stabilizing dopamine levels. Addressing this core dysfunction is crucial for reducing cravings, preventing relapse, and fostering meaningful engagement with life beyond addiction.
Title : Tailoring biblio-poetry therapies using AI and biofeedback for addiction treatment
Nile Stanley, University of North Florida, United States
Title : The A-B-C of happiness coaching
Alphonsus Obayuwana, Triple-H Project LLC, United States
Title : Clinical pharmacology of marijuana: Update 2024
Frederick J Goldstein, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, United States
Title : Trait-based recovery: Evidence-based trait activation to reduce depression, anxiety, and improve client engagement in addiction treatment
Jason Glenn Roop, The Center for Trait-Based Transformation, United States
Title : An investigation of the factors responsible for ubstance abuse from a cognitive perspective based on a mixed method approach
Adewole Olukorede, Literary Edifice, Italy
Title : A Long-Acting Naltrexone Implant (for Opioid Use Disorder: First-in-Human Phase I Trial)
Steven M Cohen, Akyso Therapeutics, United States