WHY WE GET ADDICTED
How our brains can be tricked into wanting more and more
WORDS SCOTT DUTFIELD
DID YOU KNOW?
In the US, smoking cigarettes causes more than 480,000 deaths each year
A ddiction is a biopsychosocial disorder, meaning that its occurrence is a combination of a person’s biology, mental health and societal factors. It’s typically associated with a dependency on different harmful substances or behaviours, such as the use of narcotics, alcohol or gambling, but can also apply to overdoing anything that leads to harm.
What unites addictions is their ability to increase the levels of dopamine in the body. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that’s made in the brain. When it’s released, it activates the nucleus accumbens, also known as the pleasure centre of the brain. Outside of addiction, dopamine is released during pleasurable experiences, such as getting food, watching a film or anything that brings you joy. However, this built-in reward system can be hijacked by other substances and damaging behaviours.