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04/10/2014

Can Abuse as a Child mean Addiction as an Adult?

Home › Blog › Can Abuse as a Child mean Addiction as an Adult?

Can Abuse as a Child mean Addiction as an Adult

Not all people struggling with addiction were abused as children of course, but recent studies are showing that there could be a relationship between the two. The development of brain imaging technologies has allowed researchers to gain an exciting view of how the brain works, and the findings are definitely worth mentioning.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to better understand addiction

Old-school thinking was that those suffering from addiction should just be able to ‘stop using’, and they were accused of lacking will power, or moral behaviours. In 2011 however, addiction was classified as a primary chronic disease caused by impaired functioning of the brain’s pleasure reward system by the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM). It disproved the “flawed character” theory  – largely in thanks to the abilities of MRIs to track brain activity when people are shown or given addiction triggers. Triggers are often as simple as a photo of someone using, or say, a hamburger for those who have food addictions.

When an addict is shown one of these triggers, researchers have found that the brain releases overdoses of dopamine (much higher levels than in non-addicts), which in turn triggers their ‘need’ to acquire their substance of desire. Dr. Nora Volkow, head of the National Institute on Drug Abuse explains it best here, in relation to food addiction: “It just basically stimulates release of dopamine. And the more they release, the more they want the food. We always say, “Well, why do we have a problem with obesity in our society?” And I said, “My God, we’re surrounded by stimuli with which we’re conditioned. If you like hamburgers you may see McDonald’s yellow arches and then dopamine goes inside your brain and you want it. And you don’t know why you want it.”

This also applies in exactly the same way to drugs and alcohol, but instead of the golden arches, triggers may include bar signs, ads in magazines or on television, watching movies, or even just running into an old friend. Whatever the trigger and whatever the addiction, the dopamine reaction is the same – and the need to acquire the substance, even unconsciously, becomes top priority. But what does all this have to do with child abuse?

Brain patterns are similar in addicts to those who have suffered abuse

Dr. Charles B. Nemeroff of The University of Miami has discovered that abused children experience architectural changes in their brains. MRIs have been able to show actual thinning of the cortex. But the real connection to addiction is in the chemical changes that occur simultaneously. Abuse of course, causes extreme amounts of stress in a child, which alters the production of cortisol, epinephrine, dopamine and serotonin, the chemical messengers in the brain that affect mood and behaviour. In the same way that photos or triggers cause an abnormal dopamine release into the brain, high levels of stress can often have the same effect.

Thankfully, research is also finding that the sooner a child is treated for abuse, the better the results. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, often used in addiction treatment, can in fact have a positive effect on recalibrating and retraining the neurochemical systems in the brain, especially the dopamine pathways of the pleasure reward cycle. Thus, in children that receive appropriate treatment following abuse, MRIs show that the brain can slowly return to a healthy state. Unfortunately, however, children that don’t get the appropriate treatment are left with brain chemistry patterns similar to those of an addict – which, it would seem, would leave them at risk for addiction in the future. More research, however, needs to be done before any solid links can be made.

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Playing sober is the best feeling in the world
Blog | Recovery

Playing sober is the best feeling in the world

I returned to the cabin on the 12th of August 2013 after completing 6 weeks of treatment earlier in January. I had relapsed and I knew I had to give it another shot as I had lived in sobriety previously and wanted that life back. This time I completed 4 weeks of primary treatment followed...
10/01/2014
alarm clock
Alcohol Addiction Treatment | Blog

How Long Will Drug or Alcohol Cravings take to Go Away?

Here at The Cabin Chiang Mai, we get many questions regarding drugs and alcohol. A common question that gets asked not only by people writing to us or calling us, but also by our patients, is how long will it take for drug or alcohol cravings to go away? We feel that this is an...
02/17/2013
The concern of antidepressant use
Blog

The Concerns of Antidepressant Use

Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Wellbutrin, Effexor; do any of these names sound familiar? Most people are acquainted with at least one of these antidepressants. Perhaps you may know someone who takes one of these medications; maybe it is you. In any case, antidepressants are one of the most prescribed medications in the world; with the number...
09/03/2012
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  • Home
  • What We Treat
    • Addiction
      • Alcohol Addiction Treatment
      • Drug Addiction Treatment
      • Amphetamine Addiction Treatment
      • Cocaine Addiction Treatment
      • GHB Addiction Treatment
      • Heroin Addiction Treatment
      • Ecstasy Addiction Treatment
      • Marijuana Addiction Treatment
      • Methamphetamine Addiction Treatment
    • Mental Health
      • Anxiety disorder treatment programme
      • Depression treatment programme
      • Co-treating Addiction and Trauma Disorders
      • Dual Diagnosis/Co-Occurring Disorders
    • Behavioral Addiction
      • Co-Occurring Disordered Eating Treatment
      • Internet Addiction Treatment
      • Rehab for Gambling Addiction Treatment
  • Our Programme
    • Changing Pathways Addiction Programme
      • Physical Therapy
    • The Kintsugi Programme
    • Disordered Eating Programme
    • Continuing Care
    • Recovery House at The Cabin
    • Sunday Excursions
  • About Our Rehab
    • About the Cabin
    • Accommodation and Facilities
    • Gallery
    • The Cabin Group
    • Our Team
    • Client Testimonials
    • In The Press
    • Blogs
  • Admissions
    • Admissions Process
    • How Rehab Works at The Cabin
    • Online assessment
    • FAQ
    • Family Advice
  • Contact
    • Contact
    • Careers
    • Referring a Client