How Addiction Affects the Brain
Addiction is a complex disease of the brain that causes the brain’s reward system to intensely crave a substance (drug addiction or alcohol addiction) or behavior (gambling addiction, internet addiction, or sex addiction), causing an inability to stop using the substance. Obsession starts to take over, and soon the person finds they are prioritizing their drug or alcohol use disorder over work, family, social activities, hobbies, and other activities. There is a preoccupation with planning, using, and recovering from the addiction. There is a lack of self-control and a lack of concern for the consequences of their actions in pursuit of the “reward” pathway.