In chemical dependency, something dreadful happens after the substance abuser has been using their drug of choice for a while. Their brain chemistry changes. They need that particular substance.
Drugs are so AMAZINGLY powerful. Our bodies weren’t meant to handle these concentrated substances, so after a period of continuous use, brain chemistry can short-circuit. It actually rewires itself in a disastrous way.
In a healthy individual, water, food, shelter, defending from predators, and sex are at the top of their survival hierarchy of needs. In a non-addict, the drug is just a drug. They can take it or leave it.
Examples of non-addicts are:
- Experimenters
- Recreational users
- Regular users
- Abusers
In chemical dependency, the brain short-circuits and reorganizes this ladder of importance.
It places the drug at the top of the list. Their newly rewired brain literally makes the following powerful connection: DRUG = SURVIVAL.
Why does the drug now equal survival? It’s because drugs act on the midbrain (unconscious), which is the primitive part that deals with survival. The Olds Experiments of the 1960’s confirmed this.
The Olds Experiments
Researchers believed that drugs acted on the prefrontal cortex (conscious), which is the logical part that deals with personality expression, decision making, and moderating social behavior.
They injected cocaine into mice in the prefrontal cortex over and over, and the mice never became addicted. After poking all over their brains, they made an important discovery. When they injected cocaine into the midbrain, the mice would continue to press the lever to receive more of the drug, even when the ground beneath them was shocking them to death, and all they had to do to survive was stop lever pressing and move away.
Furthermore, mice would die of thirst or starvation even when they had full access to food and water. Their midbrains became totally hijacked and they linked “survival itself” to the drug, and as a result, they continued using cocaine despite extremely negative consequences (death).
Opioid Dependence is a Chronic Brain Disorder
Humans can become addicted in the same way the mice did. That’s why they keep getting arrested, overdosing, getting their children taken away, and ending up in hospitals or rehab facilities, or even dead. It’s not because they’re scumbags intrinsically.
In actuality, they’ve become a victim to their own malfunctioning brain, and the primal drive to seek out and use more drugs causes them to put everything else in their life at a distant second or lower.
In the case of opioid dependence, one suffers from two primary barriers to progress:
- The midbrain believes that opioid use is equivalent to survival itself, and that is an extremely hard pattern to break, even after learning this knowledge.
- Discontinuing opioids abruptly leads to a horrific withdrawal syndrome.
Thus, there are two extremely powerful motivators to continue daily use of opioid drugs. And it is for these primary factors, including many others as well, that opioid addiction recovery has such a low success rate (about 10%).
Opiate Addiction 101
- Did you enjoy learning about the hijacked midbrain? This passage was taken directly from my Free online mini-course, Opiate Addiction 101.
- To learn more about opioid dependence and addiction, simply click here to register for the Free educational program.
- To learn everything about Opiate Addiction 1o1, as well as gain extremely valuable tips for overcoming opioid addiction and feeling amazing like you never thought possible, check out my online course Ultimate Opiate Detox.
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I have to put this out there, after a hysterectomy I became addicted to Vicodin in the end using up to 25-30 pills a day! I used suboxone to finally get off. At first along with many others found this to be a life saver only to realize after a year of being on them I had another battle to deal with. I was serious about being substance free and being clean. i could not feel I was while using sub.I did a long taper was on 1 8mg a day after 6mths, I went to 4mg, every month I went down 2mg. getting all the way to .50 (half of 1mg). I was getting horrible anxiety,panic attacks, couldn’t eat literally thought I was going crazy. I went to my Doc whom of course wanted to try an anti-anxiety/depressant which just made me feel worse! I was becoming so desperate..I said all that to say this, after endless web searching looking for answers and finding this site I decided to try DLPA and GABA. All I can say is Wow!!This truly works!! I wont give all praise to these vitamins because I couldn’t do anything without the Lord but Im very thankful to have found this info..and for Matt who answered the call in reaching out and helping people! Finally Free in Ohio!!:)
Michele thank you so much for this comment. What a wonderful story!!! I’m so proud of you and wish you the best!
Hi Matt, I would first off like to extend my gratiitude to you & say how truly appreciative I am for all the information you provide!!!
I am the Mom of a 28 year old Heroin addict. Like so many stories here, he began the addiction journey after a back injury and failed surgery. Lots of opiate pain killers, then he discovered “the beauty of Heroin” 🙁
He lives with us, does not work, sleeps ALL day, seems to be clinically depressed. He has been in & out of Rehab a few times.
The past few months, he seems to be genuinely trying to break free of addiction. He may go 9 days or so without use….then, can no longer tolerate the depression, fatigue and goes back to use IV Heroin. Just one time to get relief- he says.
Then he is in withdrawal for 2-3 days- is that really possible???
I believe he truly wants to be free of this, but, cannot tolerate the long term fatigue depression.
Do you know of a physician in addiction medicine that can help with the physiological aspects? And, then my hope is he could do your online coaching.
We will do whatever it takes to help him!! Your advice is much appreciated.
Ps, Suboxone is not an option, he sees that as safety net for continued use.
We live in Indianapolis and there is not much in terms of resources here for addiction recovery.
Thank-you so very much Matt for all the assistance you provide to addicts and their families. 🙂
It is the most lonely and hellish nightmare…
Hi Peg,
The good news is that your son seems interested in breaking free of addiction, and he even knows how to get through the acute withdrawal, but then the Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS) gets the best of him.
I don’t know any physicians that treat PAWS symptoms (though I’m sure there must be some out there) however, in my online course, The Ultimate Opiate Recovery Program, there is a section that has a complete Bio/Psycho/Social PAWS treatment plan, including supplements, dietary guidelines, exercise, and much, much more.
Also, I wrote an article on PAWS that has a Bio/Psycho/Social treatment plan as well that I encourage you to read:
How To Stop Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome From Opiates
And please check out this article as well:
How To Get Your Energy Back After Quitting Opiates
Tell him to seek out a suboxone clinic. They will taper him as needed. He will hardly feel a thing coming off of opiates when using suboxone properly. It helps tremendously in “feeling normal”. I should know, I am an addict myself. The suboxone treatment is working miracles.
Do not get me wrong, Getting off opiates is still the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do, but I am doing it for myself. & Suboxone is making it feel like an achievable goal.
please be carful of that I have been on suboxone for 10 years it is hell properly in a clinc is the key word in your message. suboxone turned in to a harder opiate to stop for me than any of them. the first couple of years I thought it was a wonder drug and really helped me with my back pain but now I realize it is going to be hell to get off of them. I am afraid of pain and withdrawl I am so happy I found this website. I hope I can learn something here and have the courage to do what everybody else is trying to do.
Hi, I am sorry to hear about your being stuck on suboxone. I think doctors are misusing that drug and causing further addiction problems!! Maybe because it keeps them wealthy…. I was on bunavil for a year and tappered very very slowly….it left me feeling very low energy & foggy brained. I found that vyvance helped me through. I wish you well with getting off , just go very slowly!! 🙂
way to keep switching one narcotic for another!
Wow!! Really????
Not very kind there Jim!!
I believe this blog is to offer support for folks struggling with addiction – not to offer snarky judgements….
Congrats on getting treated for one of your underliningcauses! With medication to initate lifestyle changes, ADHD can be managed to help the depression accompanied.