WHAT IS SUBSTANCE ADDICTION?

Substance Addiction, which is medically referred to often as Substance Use Disorder, is an illness that involves the mind and body. Dr. Deepak Chopra says, “We are not the mind, we create the mind, we create the body. And through our body and through our mind, we ultimately create our experience of the world.” Suggesting that the mind and the body are very much connected, and I remember in recent interview I watched, he actually said that the mind and body are so intertwined, they are virtually the same thing.

A Harvard Health article called “Understanding Addiction” defines it pretty well bang on. It states “Addiction involves craving for something intensely, loss of control over its use, and continuing involvement with it despite adverse consequences.”

So that’s what it looks like on the outside, but what is actually going on within the individual?

Addiction affects three main parts of the brain, The Prefrontal Cortex, The Limbic System, and The Midbrain. The first, the Prefrontal Cortex is the part of the brain that is responsible for our decision making, our logic, and our reasoning.?As it relates to addiction, this is the part of our brain, where we decide if something is a good or bad decision on all subjects. The second, the Limbic System, is the part of the brain which contains the reward circuit, and facilitates our memory.?As it relates to addiction, this is the part of the brain, where we think something feel well-being, and we remember it in detail. The third, the Midbrain is the part of the brain which is concerned only about the next 15 seconds, and is responsible for our vision, our hearing, and our fight or flight response.?As it relates to addiction, this is the part of the brain that is the channel to the spinal cord and body, responsible for our survival functions.

Now what happens when drugs are introduced into the bloodstream for the first time, either directly or indirectly, the chemical in the drug or alcohol crosses the blood brain barrier and delivers an inhumane amount of a neurotransmitter called Dopamine to our reward circuit in the Limbic System in the brain.?In fact, up to ten times the amount the narrow nominal range we experience day-today.?At the exact same time there is another surge of a neurotransmitter called Glutamate, increasing our memory of that moment with greater intensity and more detail.?So when the drug or alcohol chemical crosses the blood brain barrier for the first time, the individual feels ten times more euphoric than their best day ever, and remembers it with more intensity, more than any other memory.?Trust me, I know! When this effect of euphoria leaves the Limbic System, the individual often makes the decision using the Prefrontal Cortex that it is a good idea to take the drug or alcohol again, because it felt so good, and it is remembered it with intensity and greater detail than other memories. So the individual introduces the drug or alcohol chemical into the bloodstream again, but this time the amount of Dopamine is just a little less, and the amount of Glutamate is just a little less, causing the individual to feel just a little less euphoric, and remember it with a little less intensity, but because the individual remembers the first time euphoria so well, the reasoning in the Prefrontal Cortex is used to make the decision exactly the same way, for the exact same reasons.?This pattern of brain activity is carried out over and over again, with the brain remembering the highest level of euphoria the most, to make the decision.?Now, as external and internal consequences start to appear in the experience of the individual, why doesn’t the individual use the reasoning in the Prefrontal Cortex, and make the decision to stop introducing the drug or alcohol chemical into the body? Well, they can’t. This is because the part of our brain which controls the survival functions, the Midbrain, has become more and more sensitive, the repeated surge of Dopamine and Glutamate has altered the Midbrain to prioritize the drug or alcohol chemical for survival.?The Midbrain becomes overly active, activating the reward circuit in the Limbic System, even without the drug or alcohol chemical, now making a survival decision without the awareness of the individual, that it must have the drug or alcohol chemical.?The Midbrain is also the pathway to the spinal cord and body, using the nervous system, it makes it imperative to the body that it must take the drug or alcohol chemical for survival. This is happening without awareness in the Sub Conscious mind of the individual, BEFORE the decision can be made in the Conscious Mind, specifically the Prefrontal Cortex to stop using the drug or alcohol. The drug addict literally does not have the choice to stop.

So what does this look like?

This is what we are seeing in the world today, a study from the National Centre for Drug Abuse Statistics, most recently updated in 2020 for the United States specifically, there are 96,000 overdoses every year, 72% of those being opioid-related. We see overdoses are up 30% every year from 2000 to 2020.?We see individuals that will do anything to get drugs.?Whether this be something as seemingly minor as compromising their values or character, to stealing or manipulation, to prostitution, and all the way up to killing others or themselves.?We see the extreme difficulties, sacrifices, cost, and heart-break of the ripple effect that every addict has on their loves ones, communities, and societies.

So what happens when through some sort of Detox period, the drug or alcohol is intake into the bloodstream is stopped??Well, the Dopamine levels drop so far down, they fall below our narrow nominal range we experience as humans.?This can manifest as depression, severe lack of motivation, physical problems, and very negative experiences in life.

So what does this look like?

This is what we also see in the world today, hopeless drug addicts that try to stop, but relapse. Constant relapsing that convince themselves and the world that drug addiction cannot be overcame.?Or we see that Addiction is a mystery, and that few recover from the illness, but most do not.?We see a wide range of addiction recovery techniques and theories that have very low success rates, and a wide range of opinions as to what recovery from Addiction should be.

One thing that most agree on, is that something evidence-based, easy to apply, long term, and predictively consistent is needed to really be useful at all for individuals who suffer from Addiction.

So if millions of people have recovered from Addiction, and I assure you there has been for sure, how is it done?

Well, it’s not a mystery any more.?What an individual with Substance Addiction needs to recover, is abstinence, and a quickly applied shift in all the major areas of their life to have well-being.?By doing this, as it relates to addiction in the brain, the top down control of the survival need for the drug or alcohol chemical is eliminated, and three things change in the brain. Firstly, the dopamine level in the individual rises to the upper part of the nominal range. Secondly, the memory of that highest level of well-being from the first time the drug or alcohol was taken, is broken.?Thirdly, the relatively consistently high level of Dopamine within our nominal range has provided genuine well-being, so that the brain moves out of survival mode and into creation. This is completed 100% within the individual, we know this is true and has evidence based science we can see, through the work of the amazing Dr. Joe Dispenza, and others who have dedicated their lives to the work.

So that is what does this look like?

We see an individual, virtually hopeless, become whole, full of well-being and no compulsion to use drugs or alcohol.?We see all major areas of their life improve significantly, driven by a true understanding of who they really are. We see the ability to create their life the way they want it, is intentionally used, and responsibility for their life is finally owned. They create, contribute, and love.

Easier said than done??It most certainly is, especially when the world and common belief teaches that external remedies are needed to heal anything.?But the movement is gaining momentum, it is no-longer undefinable or unteachable to achieve well-being, no matter what the external circumstances of an individual are. There are ways that work, and there are many ways that do not work. This movement has powerful Teachers, Doctors and Advocators that teach us healing IS within, and MUST start with the understanding of Who We Really Are.?They teach our intended way to be human, and experience life. Now I am not a Doctor, Neuroscientist, or Spiritual Guru, but I have personal experience with this movement of empowering teachings and wider perspectives, that has brought about an amazing transformation in my life to the point where I help others become fully whole, and live a life of well-being. This is precisely why I have created a branch of this movement for individuals with Substance Addiction, called Conscious Comeback.?It teaches the Intentional Internal Harmony Blueprint, our intended way to be human, and how to recover forever.

Mark Stevens

Addiction Comeback Strategist