Whether it’s food, drugs or alcohol, addiction is a chronic brain disease. Nobody chooses to become addicted to something and it’s not a failure on the person’s part, nor is it a choice. Many people across the world occasionally treat themselves to a weekend of fast food, a boozy night out or even take drugs recreationally – all without it taking over their lives. Which means it’s not the substances themselves that cause addiction, but rather how they affect the brain.
How addiction affects the brain
Research has shown that there are noticeable differences in the brains of those who have addiction issues compared to those who do not. The brains of people with a drug or alcohol dependence display abnormal activity in the forebrain, where chemical messengers stimulate desire. Consuming drugs or alcohol triggers the reward system part of the brain which causes dopamine to be released – creating a feeling of pleasure. Repeated use causes the brain to crave the substance.
Over time, our brain develops a tolerance to alcohol or drugs, which causes brain receptors to adapt by producing less dopamine. This leads to increased consumption of the substances to get the same effect.
Once a substance has hijacked the brain, the brain starts to think that it needs this substance in order to function, leaving the user feeling like they have no other choice but to use again. It’s a cycle that is extremely difficult to break out of and can continue for years without professional help.
Long term impacts of addiction on the mind
The very concept of addiction is a long-term issue, and subsequently, that can have long-term consequences for the brain. Drugs and alcohol impact the areas of the mind responsible for motivation and emotion. This means, over time, drug and alcohol use can affect cognitive functions, causing lack of concentration, poor decision making, delayed reactions, memory loss, or feelings of confusion and lethargy. Even causing a change in personality.
Getting help for addiction
It’s extremely difficult to overcome addiction without some sort of professional help. Our detox programmes have been put together with the help of medical experts, nutritionists and life coaches to offer anyone struggling with addiction to get the support they need. Through revolutionary NAD+ infusion therapy, plus the support of expert clinicians, we can help those struggling with addiction get their life back.
Our detox infusion programme uses NAD+ to:
- Rid the body of toxins caused by drugs and alcohol to detox the system
- Reduce withdrawal effects to make the detox process more comfortable
- Curb the cravings for drugs and alcohol both physically and mentally
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction, you can find out more about our NAD+ detox programme by contacting the clinic: +44 (0) 20 7935 1155 / Info@nadclinic.com.
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