Q: Which part of the brain influences addiction?

The parts of the brain that influences addiction include: <ul role="presentation"> <li>Basal ganglia. This part of the brain plays a critical role in positive forms of motivation, pleasures, and habits and routines. The areas form a central node that is often referred to as the brain&#39;s reward circuit. Drugs essentially over-stimulate this circuit generating euphoric feelings of being high. Repeated exposure makes the circuit adapt to the presence of drugs. It also diminishes its sensitivity and thus makes it hard to feel pleasure from anything besides drugs.</li><li>Extended amygdala. This part of the brain that influences stressful feelings such as unease, irritability, and anxiety. This feeling sets in once the drug fades and thus motivates the person to seek the drug again. It reaches a point where a person will use a substance to get temporary relief from the discomfort rather than get high.</li><li>Prefrontal context. This part of the brain is responsible for thinking, planning, solving problems, and exercising self-control over impulses. It is also the last part of the brain to mature, making teens more vulnerable to drug abuse. Typically a person with substance use disorder or underdeveloped prefrontal cortex will seek the drug with minimal impulse control.</li> </ul> <hr/>Need to find a therapist near you? Check out the Monarch Directory by SimplePractice to <a href="https://meetmonarch.com/therapists/addiction/near-me" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">find licensed mental health therapists</a>with availability and online booking.<hr/>

Question 1

Which part of the brain influences addiction?

Accepted Answer

The parts of the brain that influences addiction include:

Basal ganglia. This part of the brain plays a critical role in positive forms of motivation, pleasures, and habits and routines. The areas form a central node that is often referred to as the brain's reward circuit. Drugs essentially over-stimulate this circuit generating euphoric feelings of being high. Repeated exposure makes the circuit adapt to the presence of drugs. It also diminishes its sensitivity and thus makes it hard to feel pleasure from anything besides drugs.
Extended amygdala. This part of the brain that influences stressful feelings such as unease, irritability, and anxiety. This feeling sets in once the drug fades and thus motivates the person to seek the drug again. It reaches a point where a person will use a substance to get temporary relief from the discomfort rather than get high.
Prefrontal context. This part of the brain is responsible for thinking, planning, solving problems, and exercising self-control over impulses. It is also the last part of the brain to mature, making teens more vulnerable to drug abuse. Typically a person with substance use disorder or underdeveloped prefrontal cortex will seek the drug with minimal impulse control.

Need to find a therapist near you? Check out the Monarch Directory by SimplePractice to find licensed mental health therapistswith availability and online booking.

Question 2

What are the first signs of liver damage from alcohol?

Accepted Answer

The first sign of liver damage is inflammation, yet most people experiencing liver damage from alcohol do not show any early signs. In fact, liver damage can progress through several stages before they or their doctor notices anything is wrong. Most people do not recognize they have a problem until the built-up scar on their liver prevents it from functioning normally.

When the symptoms do become noticeable, they usually include:

feeling unwell
weight loss
nausea and vomiting
diarrhea
stomach pain in the upper right quadrant
loss of appetite
yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice)
swollen ankles
confusion
fatigue
vomiting blood in your stools
having a lower tolerance for alcohol
protruding stomach

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Question 3

Does the urge to drink ever go away?

Accepted Answer

This is a complex question. It is common for an addict to experience cravings. These cravings can be both are both physical and mental in nature and the day or two after quitting alcohol are the most intense. This is referred to as the acute withdrawal phase. However, they may also emerge months or years after withdrawal. There are several hypotheses on what triggers cravings, but the bottom line is that you will almost inevitably encounter cravings if you are addicted.

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Question 4

What is the addiction compulsion scale?

Accepted Answer

The addiction compulsion scale is a scale of 0 to 5 that allows a person to self-monitor their degree of craving for an addictive substance or an activity in a given moment. For example, the scale measures an individual's alcohol use and their attempts to control their drinking. It is a self-rated instrument for the quantification of thoughts about alcohol and drinking behaviors.

Here is the scale's breakdown:

0-1 = I have no desire or urge at all.
2-3 = I feel relatively untroubled around the urge, but it is still present. I, however, feel like I will give in to the urge at some point.
4-5 = I have a strong urge I want to use it now.

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Question 5

How do you break a sugar addiction?

Accepted Answer

According to research, sugar cravings are driven by your brain's need for a reward as opposed to your body's need for food. Here are some tips to help break a sugar addiction:

Eat a healthy and filling meal. A sugar craving results from your brain's need for something that releases dopamine in the reward system. Although the craving is not the same as hunger, it can be difficult to resist sugar cravings when you are hungry. If you get sugar cravings when hungry, just eat a healthy meal as soon as possible. Ideal meals to break the cravings can be protein-rich foods and healthy snack foods.
Take a hot shower. Hot showers and baths can provide relief from sugar cravings. Ensure the water is hot enough to be on the verge of giving you an uncomfortable feeling. Allow the water to run over your neck and shoulders to heat you adequately. For effective results, stay in the hot shower for 5 to 10 minutes.
Go for a brisk walk. A brisk walk will also help provide much-needed relief when battling with sugar cravings. Typically, exercise releases endorphins and the feel-good chemicals in your brain, which helps turn off sugar cravings. You can also run or do indoor exercises like body weight and push-ups to achieve the same effect.
Have some healthy alternatives available. One of the first things you can do to successfully break sugar addiction is to trade sugary foods for wholesome alternatives like vegetables. The natural sugars in vegetables like beets and sweet potatoes contain a great deal less than the amount you’ll find in desserts like cupcakes, candy bars, etc. Plus, eating sweet vegetables will help to calm cravings.
Remove all temptations. In order to break your sugar addiction, it is vital to remove temptations at home. If you have a box of donuts in your pantry, you easily give in to a craving. So, to set yourself up for success, remove all sugary snacks from your pantry.
Avoid alcohol. Many alcoholic drinks, specifically mixed drinks, have high amounts of sugar as a way to improve the flavor. Plus, alcohol diminishes a person's ability to make good decisions, so it's more likely that you could be more tempted to eat a sugary treat.
Consider seeing a therapist. While it might sound crazy, if you are having trouble breaking your addiction to sugar on your own, it might be time to see a therapist. Having support is an important part of breaking a habit or addiction. A therapist can provide strategies to cope with stress and essentially make it easier to break your addiction. Plus, seeing a therapist will prevent you from replacing one addiction with another. By involving a mental health professional, you will be more likely to successfully break your addiction.

Need to find a therapist near you? Check out the Monarch Directory by SimplePractice tofind licensed mental health therapistswith availability and online booking.

Which part of the brain influences addiction?

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