Drugs and Dopamine

Drugs and Dopamine Release

Have you ever wondered what causes the “high” one experiences from addictive substances? What is the seemingly magnetic pull towards certain substances while others don’t produce any charge?

Avenues Recovery, leading addiction rehabilitation experts, explains the effects of drugs on dopamine release in the human brain.

The Brain on a Substance

Imagine if the mail delivery system mixed up your mail. You receive your neighbor’s mail, while she receives no mail. Or the package you needed for Sunday arrives on Thursday, while next week’s packages arrive today. This is how your brain operates on a substance. Substances confuse the neurotransmitters of the brain, causing them to fire abnormally. Neurotransmitters act as the “mail system” of the brain, carrying messages between neurons. When this system is off, we act and feel differently.

Understanding Addiction

Research shows that substance use disorder is rampant, currently affecting 25% of American adults. Addiction is often inaccurately represented as a matter of bad behavioral choices. However, addiction is vastly more complex. Scientists have found several factors that contribute to a person’s susceptibility to addiction. When a person has more than one of these factors, they are prone to addiction, often without their knowledge.

How Do Substances Disrupt the Brain?

Substances enter the brain and either act as neurotransmitters or increase levels of specific neurotransmitters. These chemical changes in the brain affect various systems in the body. Common reactions include activation of the brain’s reward center and stress center, and a lack of self-control and planning.

The Role of Dopamine

Dopamine’s role in the body is that of a messenger carrying nerve “alerts” through different areas in the brain. When someone imbibes drugs that increase dopamine they activate circuits throughout the brain. Dopamine is responsible for muscle control, impulse control, and the brain’s reward system.

The human brain

Dopamine’s Complex Relationship with Pleasure

Most people have experienced a dopamine release, referred to as the “pleasure” chemical. Taking a drink, having sex, smoking a joint, or playing a video game all cause a “dopamine hit.”

Is this accurate?

There is a common misconception that dopamine causes pleasure. This is not entirely accurate. Rather, dopamine influences the way our brains process pleasure. When dopamine is released during an activity or experience, it reinforces the expectation of satisfaction. It also motivates you to repeat those pleasurable experiences. Simply put, dopamine persuades your body to pursue pleasure.

How Does Dopamine Reinforce Drug Use?

Many substances produce a surge of dopamine when absorbed. This increase in dopamine helps the neurons in the brain create more connections and links the feelings of pleasure with the substance. This will cause you to want it again and again. Dopamine and addiction are thereby closely related. While dopamine can not convince someone to become an addict or seek a drug again and again, it does reinforce the effects of a substance.

How Do Substances Affect Dopamine Levels?

Addiction and dopamine go hand in hand. There are differing dopamine levels for different drugs. Substances that affect dopamine do so at varying degrees; they don’t all operate at the same intensity. Drugs with an addictive component affect dopamine levels by sending a flood of dopamine to the part of the brain responsible for reward. The brain’s reward center comprises three parts located in the frontal cortex. However, the brain produces decreasing dopamine levels when a substance is used regularly. This causes an imbalance in the brain and the sensation of withdrawal or the low often felt after a drug wears off. To avoid this feeling, addicts often seek the drug again and crave it.

Which Drugs Release Dopamine in the Brain?

Drugs such as opiates, alcohol, nicotine, amphetamines, and cocaine tend to create neurochemical reactions. These reactions significantly increase the amount of dopamine released by neurons in the brain's reward center. When ingested, they initially raise dopamine levels, causing the dopamine receptors to numb over time. Eventually, with regular drug use, dopamine levels drop.

Does THC Increase Dopamine?

Yes, THC induces dopamine release.

Does Weed Release Dopamine?

Weed that includes THC leads to dopamine release in the brain.

Does Marijuana Affect Dopamine?

Since marijuana includes THC like weed, it also increases dopamine release, causing a euphoric feeling.

Other Drugs That Increase Dopamine Levels

Heroin increases dopamine by 200%. Cocaine has an even more drastic effect on dopamine, typically raising levels to 3 times the amount. Similarly, when taking nicotine, dopamine levels have proven to rise between 25-40%.

What Happens When You Stop Feeding Your Brain a Substance?

Our bodies are wired to constantly seek out homeostasis and balance. Therefore, the brain will shut off its regular dopamine production when a drug is reportedly used. When the substance isn’t present in one’s body, the brain produces less than average dopamine levels. This causes a person to feel unengaged in regular daily activities and can result in feelings of depression when not under the influence of a substance.

Can Dopamine Receptors Be Repaired?

The brain’s neural pathways, including dopamine receptors, are repairable. This means you can always teach your brain a new way. When your dopamine circuits are disrupted from addiction, it can take the brain a while to return to regular dopamine releases. The process of returning damaged dopamine receptors to normal can be painful as the brain readjusts. In recovery, this period is known as withdrawal. During withdrawal, the brain is starving for dopamine, which can cause physical and psychological symptoms. However, over time the brain will rebuild its healthy pathways and return to regular activity.