Addiction can develop when reward-seeking changes a teen’s brain

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It starts innocently enough. A friend offers you the latest e-cigarette sensation. Or maybe they hand you a beer or a hit of some other drug. You try it once. You enjoy the feeling and figure you’re done. For some people, this once is enough. But others may enjoy the experience enough to try it again. And again. After a while, the pleasure it once brought fades. Instead, a craving for the substance emerges. It starts to grow. The person now seeks out a hit — even when they don’t want truly want to.

This is addiction. And it’s a brain disease.

This disease makes it very difficult for someone to stop certain initially pleasurable behaviors. They might involve using nicotine, alcohol or other drugs, even drugs prescribed by a doctor. Gambling, shopping, gaming or social media use can also be addictive. Some people can even become addicted to food in a way that resembles drug abuse.

When someone engages in one of these pleasurable behaviors too often, the brain can change. Other brain networks now turn on a cycle of craving. Soon the behavior is no longer pleasurable. Instead, it is only an escape from the stress the addicted person feels when not doing the behavior.

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