Biological explanations of addiction

INTIATION - The process where by individuals start to become addicted.
MAINTENANCE - The process whereby people start to behave addictively even when it has negative consequences.
RELAPSE - When someone has managed to give up but then starts showing signs of taking the behaviour up again.

Main assumptions.....
-Has a physical cause -An illness -Either addicted or not, no inbetween -Prblem lies in the individual -Addiction is irreversible.

Biochemical - Dopamine.
--> Main neurotransmitter. if changed, blocked or replaced it will have an effect on mood, cognition behaviour and systems in the body.

DOPAMINE.
The neurotransmitter that effects motivation and pleasure.
Some substances increase dopamine levels in the brain, either by increasing it's production or preventing it reuptake at synapses (It doesn't get cleared up as quickly as usual)
Once dopamine is removed the good, pleasurable feeling disappears. More of the substance…