Addiction can be a word that plagues someone’s life. It can get its hooks into a person and twist them at all the right moments. Addiction can be hereditary or environmental. It can manifest in the form of substance abuse or in vices that take hold of a person, such as gambling or overeating. However, addiction can be seen as a disease of the brain circuits that control pleasure, stress, and decision-making. This disease begs the question, how long to rewire the brain from addiction will it take?
Addiction to substances can affect the brain and have long-lasting side effects. Rewiring the brain is possible over time but requires effort. So, to answer the question, it takes at least 90 days to rewire the brain from addiction. Abstaining from addiction for 90 days allows the brain to heal and create new neural pathways. There are therapies that focus specifically on targeting the repair of these pathways. Finding help with addiction in Oklahoma City can be life-changing, but it also can change the way you think.
Can a Brain Scan Show Addiction?
The short answer is yes. However, what is shown is how addiction changes the brain over time. These scans are not used to diagnose addiction in people but rather to demonstrate how addiction alters brain structure throughout use. Changes in the frontal cortex can be observed in the tissue composition and volume in scans of a person struggling with addiction.
Another key factor is what the person is addicted to, as this impacts how the brain is affected. For example, alcohol and cocaine addiction may have different effects on the brain than gambling or overeating. The fact that these changes can be seen on brain scans and that addiction visibly alters the brain highlights how powerful addiction can be. Rewiring the brain from addiction is necessary to overcome it.
Can Dopamine Levels Return to Normal After Addiction?
Dopamine is a hormone that acts as a messenger in the body. The brain sends this neurotransmitter to the rest of the body and makes us feel good. It helps us think, plan, and maintain proper levels that can impact health overall. Dopamine is affected by addiction because substances activate the brain’s reward circuitry.
As a result, dopamine levels can influence how long it takes to rewire the brain from addiction. Dopamine is often one of the main reasons people fall back into addiction. The need to feel good can overpower even the most rational thinking. These dopamine levels can return to normal over time, but this process requires the same key ingredient: patience. Abstinence from the core of one’s addiction is the only way to rewire the brain, including normalizing dopamine levels.
Addiction, unfortunately, is a broad term and encompasses many compulsions or substances, some with more serious consequences than others. The time needed for dopamine levels to return to normal depends on the extent of the damage caused. However, when it comes to how long to rewire the brain from addiction, the sooner treatment starts, the better.
What Brain Changes Are Caused by Addiction?
Addiction can change a lot about a person. It can change their decision-making, how they experience dopamine within their system, and overall brain structure. The reward system is impacted due to the surge of dopamine they experience while using substances that over-stimulate it. Over time, the body builds a tolerance to the dopamine surge, which requires them to increase the usage to experience the same effect. The body then decides these feelings gain priority over other rewards and, therefore, can begin to alter decision-making.
The prefrontal cortex becomes less active over time, which controls decision-making and impulse control, making it more difficult to regain control over oneself. Addiction can also impact the amygdala, making it more reactive and elevating negative emotions like fear and stress. Addiction can also impact the brain when trying to abstain from the substance. Dopamine levels, as discussed before, can leave some chasing the feeling, but addiction can also disrupt the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This can amplify stress responses and make coping without it much more difficult. Addiction can take a toll on a person’s mental and physical health. It can alternate oneself and leave a person going against their judgment. Rewiring the brain is needed to break free from addiction, and the sooner it is tackled, the better the result.
How to Break Free From Addiction?
To rewire the brain, one must first know how to overcome the addiction. The first step is to admit the need for help and desire to change. This realization may come through pressure from loved ones, therapy, or a major life event. Whatever the reason, the desire to change must be present.
Once the desire is there, there are multiple choices a person can make. Drug detox clinics and rehab centers for addiction treatment in Oklahoma City can provide controlled environments to overcome addiction. Still, one’s budget and schedule must be considered, as these options require time and money. Self-help groups, both in communities and online, can also offer strength and support. Seminars, sponsors, programs, and therapy are other avenues available.
While there are many ways to overcome addiction, they all require two essential things: attention and time. Staying focused and dedicated to abstaining from the vice is crucial. Attention must be given to the process, and determination must be maintained. Consistent therapy and counseling are key, as it takes 90 days for the brain to begin rewiring from addiction.
Those 90 days may not be easy, requiring time and dedication to navigate. Addiction can feel like a deep hole that one falls into quickly. Crawling out may be difficult, but it is not impossible. With help, you can find yourself out of that hole quicker than you think.
Learn How to Rewire Your Brain From Addiction With Help From Beginnings Recovery
Addiction can change a person at their very core, pushing them away from their morals and guidelines and making them act in ways they never thought they would. It changes the reasoning behind their decision-making and warps their perception of what is important.
With something so powerful, it can be hard to see how one can change. Fortunately, it is possible—with hard work and perseverance. Rewiring the brain is achievable when the goal is truly desired.
Beginnings Recovery in Oklahoma offers outpatient addiction treatment programs to help patients achieve sobriety. Please reach out to our outpatient recovery center by calling 405-724-8740 today and discover more about how long to rewire the brain from addiction.
External Links
National Library of Medicine – Imaging the Addicted Human Brain