Brain Effects
Adolescent brains are still developing. Drug abuse can change the forming pathways, reinforcing addiction behavior.
Our brains are designed to reinforce things that make us feel good, to support healthy activities, such as eating. When someone uses drugs, a chemical called dopamine is released in the brain. As someone uses drugs, over time the brain adjusts to the dopamine levels and without the drugs, the person feels dull and lifeless, with little enjoyment for activities that were enjoyable to them in the past.
Our brains are designed to reinforce things that make us feel good, to support healthy activities, such as eating. When someone uses drugs, a chemical called dopamine is released in the brain. As someone uses drugs, over time the brain adjusts to the dopamine levels and without the drugs, the person feels dull and lifeless, with little enjoyment for activities that were enjoyable to them in the past.
