Addiction can directly affect your actions, relationships, job, and ability to be self-sustaining. On top of all that, it also significantly affects the chemistry of your body and your brain. The brain’s rewards center leads the body to chase after good feelings and rewards. That may include risky behavior that you would not seek after normally without the presence of drugs or alcohol. Over time, this kind of reward chemistry release can cause brain damage, impulse control problems, and even death.
Your brain is wired to repeat experiences that feel good or give you a release of dopamine. Drugs and alcohol initially do this, which is why people repeat the behavior. Over time this can turn into addiction because the brain is telling you that you need more and more of a substance to have the same release of feel-good chemicals.
So you might ask, what are some changes to the brain during substance? And why is seeking out a drug and alcohol addiction treatment center in Kansas City so Important? We will answer both of these questions below.
Decision Making– Drugs and alcohol affect the way your brain communicates and makes connections. Substances can distort reality and change the way your brain functions and reasons. The ability to maintain self-control and self-regulate becomes increasingly tricky. It becomes much more difficult to make good decisions without receiving feel-good chemicals, and when that happens you likely need drug and alcohol addiction help in Kansas City.
Ability to Take in Information– Learning and your ability to take in information can be stunted if you are engaged in substance abuse. When you are inactive and battling addiction, your memory functions significantly decrease. Being able to focus and absorb information becomes a significant challenge. If you or someone you know is struggling to recall information, it could be a sign of a more significant issue that requires drug treatment in Kansas City.
Judgment can be Skewed– If you are struggling with addiction, you know the addiction takes precedence over any judgment or long-term consequences. This means if your body needs the substance, you find any means necessary to acquire it. Many struggling addicts have been fired from a job or were arrested because they chose substance abuse over the consequences.
Denial- If you know someone who has battled substance abuse, you know that denial is a huge part of addiction. Denial is one of the biggest reasons why someone remains in active addiction for so long. It is quite a challenge for the addict to see clearly and give up something that quickly delivers feel-good chemicals. Being self-aware of one’s behavior is not possible with the presence of drugs and alcohol, but drug and alcohol addiction help in Kansas City is always possible.
At Gold Bridge Treatment Center, a premier drug and alcohol inpatient treatment center in Kansas City, we understand that addiction affects the whole self, including the brain’s ability to function. In most cases, seeking alcohol and drug addiction help in Kansas City can reverse the effects of brain chemistry and get it back to a healthier place so that you can think clearly and responsibly.
Our professionals can aid in the recovery process, as we have countless experiences in battling addiction and healthy recovery. Give us a call at 913-837-4653 or visit our website to learn more about our facility centered around alcohol and drug treatment in Kansas City.