Dual Diagnosis Treatment Center in Tumwater
Most medications work by causing the brain to overexcite the reward circuit with a large amount of the chemical messenger dopamine. Dopamine surges in the reward circuit can reinforce harmful but enjoyable behaviours. These behaviors are often repeated by people.
The brain adapts to the additional dopamine over time. This reduces the feeling of high relative to when they first took the drug. This process is called tolerance. In an attempt to feel the same pleasure as the dopamine, they might take more medication.
There are many factors that will determine if someone develops a dependence on drugs. There are many factors that influence the likelihood of developing an addiction, including genetic, environmental and developmental. Predisposing traits are more likely to lead to addiction than those with less.