Нейробиолог объяснил, почему зависимость — это сбой в работе мозга, а не слабость воли

Advertisement Substances and the brain Kumaar Bagrodia [email protected] | Aug 13, 2026, 04:00 IST Substances and the brain India's rowing gold medal controversy has put banned substances back in focus. Neuroscientist Kumaar Bagrodia explains how different drugs alter the brain and behaviour "If people know smoking, alcohol or drugs are harming them, why can't they simply stop?" It is one of the most persistent misconceptions about addiction. The answer lies not in a lack of knowledge or determination, but in the way the brain changes over time. For years, addiction has been reduced to dopamine. In reality, dopamine is only one of hundreds of chemical messengers. Thoughts, emotions, habits and decisions arise from the continuous exchange of electrical activity and information across interconnected brain networks, not from a single neurotransmitter or one part of the brain. Increasingly, neuroscience suggests that mental health conditions, including addiction, are disorders of communication between these networks rather than simple chemical imbalances. Addiction is therefore neither a failure of willpower nor a flaw in character. It is a dysregulation of the brain systems that regulate motivation, emotion, habits and self-control. The Executive Control Network governs judgement, planning and restraint. The Salience Network determines what deserves attention and priority. The Reward Network reinforces behaviours the brain learns are valuable. With repeated exposure to addictive substances or behaviours, these systems gradually fall out of balance. When relief becomes craving Every addiction begins as a solution before it becomes a problem. People rarely become addicted because they simply enjoy a substance. More often, they discover that it temporarily relieves anxiety, trauma, loneliness, stress or emotional pain. Alcohol may quieten anxious thoughts. Nicotine may sharpen concentration. Sleeping pills may calm an overactive mind. Gaming, food or endless scrolling may offer temporary escape. The brain learns quickly. If something consistently provides relief, it begins to prioritise it. Relief becomes craving. Craving becomes habit. This also explains why some people are more vulnerable than others. Anxiety, depression, ADHD, trauma and obsessive-compulsive disorder all affect brain circuits involved in emotional regulation, behavioural flexibility and impulse control. Different brains seek different forms of relief, but many eventually converge on the same addiction pathways. Different substances, similar patterns Different substances affect the brain differently. Alcohol is directly neurotoxic, accelerating brain shrinkage, damaging white matter and increasing the risk of memory loss and dementia. Nicotine rapidly rewires attention and craving circuits while increasing the risk of stroke and vascular dementia. Heavy cannabis use, particularly during adolescence, can affect learning, memory and executive function. Prescription sedatives and opioids impair cognition and disrupt stress regulation, while opioids also suppress the brain's breathing centres, making overdose potentially fatal. Stimulants such as cocaine and methamphetamine overstimulate motivation networks before gradually weakening executive function. Even anabolic steroids, increasingly misused in gyms, can alter brain circuits involved in mood, aggression and impulse control. Yet whether the addiction is to alcohol, nicotine, gambling, gaming, pornography, ultra-processed food or social media, the brain adapts in remarkably similar ways. Repeated exposure strengthens learning and habit circuits until the behaviour is no longer pursued for pleasure, but for relief. Eventually, it becomes automatic. Why relapse starts earlier than you think Relapse rarely begins with the first drink, cigarette or drug. It often starts days earlier. Poor sleep, chronic stress, loneliness or emotional conflict gradually weaken executive control while strengthening craving networks. By the time the substance is used, the brain has often been moving towards relapse long before anyone notices. Perhaps the greatest misconception is that addiction persists because people do not understand the consequences. Most smokers know cigarettes cause cancer. People with alcohol dependence know alcohol is damaging their health. The problem is not knowledge. It is that subconscious brain systems responsible for habits, emotional regulation and impulse control gradually overpower conscious intention. Counselling, motivation and mindfulness all have an important place in recovery, but on their own they may not be enough to reverse deeply ingrained patterns of brain function. The brain can change again The encouraging news is that the brain remains remarkably adaptable throughout life. The encouraging news is that the brain remains remarkably adaptable throughout life. This ability to reorganise itself by strengthening some neural connections while weakening others is known as neuroplasticity. Healthier pathways can gradually replace those driving addictive behaviour. Recovery is therefore not simply about removing a substance or restricting access to it. It is about helping the brain develop healthier ways of responding to stress, emotion and reward until it no longer relies on addiction as its primary coping strategy. The author is the founder of NeuroLeap and HALE Healthy Ageing Longevity Enhancement. His work focuses on brain-first longevity and the intersection of neuroscience and everyday health It is one of the most persistent misconceptions about addiction. The answer lies not in a lack of knowledge or determination, but in the way the brain changes over time. For years, addiction has been reduced to dopamine. In reality, dopamine is only one of hundreds of chemical messengers. Thoughts, emotions, habits and decisions arise from the continuous exchange of electrical activity and information across interconnected brain networks, not from a single neurotransmitter or one part of the brain. Advertisement Increasingly, neuroscience suggests that mental health conditions, including addiction, are disorders of communication between these networks rather than simple chemical imbalances. Addiction is therefore neither a failure of willpower nor a flaw in character. It is a dysregulation of the brain systems that regulate motivation, emotion, habits and self-control. The Executive Control Network governs judgement, planning and restraint. The Salience Network determines what deserves attention and priority. The Reward Network reinforces behaviours the brain learns are valuable. With repeated exposure to addictive substances or behaviours, these systems gradually fall out of balance. When relief becomes craving Every addiction begins as a solution before it becomes a problem. People rarely become addicted because they simply enjoy a substance. More often, they discover that it temporarily relieves anxiety, trauma, loneliness, stress or emotional pain. Alcohol may quieten anxious thoughts. Nicotine may sharpen concentration. Sleeping pills may calm an overactive mind. Gaming, food or endless scrolling may offer temporary escape. The brain learns quickly. If something consistently provides relief, it begins to prioritise it. Relief becomes craving. Craving becomes habit. This also explains why some people are more vulnerable than others. Anxiety, depression, ADHD, trauma and obsessive-compulsive disorder all affect brain circuits involved in emotional regulation, behavioural flexibility and impulse control. Different brains seek different forms of relief, but many eventually converge on the same addiction pathways. Different substances, similar patterns Different substances affect the brain differently. Alcohol is directly neurotoxic, accelerating brain shrinkage, damaging white matter and increasing the risk of memory loss and dementia. Nicotine rapidly rewires attention and craving circuits while increasing the risk of stroke and vascular dementia. Heavy cannabis use, particularly during adolescence, can affect learning, memory and executive function. Prescription sedatives and opioids impair cognition and disrupt stress regulation, while opioids also suppress the brain's breathing centres, making overdose potentially fatal. Stimulants such as cocaine and methamphetamine overstimulate motivation networks before gradually weakening executive function. Even anabolic steroids, increasingly misused in gyms, can alter brain circuits involved in mood, aggression and impulse control. Yet whether the addiction is to alcohol, nicotine, gambling, gaming, pornography, ultra-processed food or social media, the brain adapts in remarkably similar ways. Repeated exposure strengthens learning and habit circuits until the behaviour is no longer pursued for pleasure, but for relief. Eventually, it becomes automatic. Why relapse starts earlier than you think Relapse rarely begins with the first drink, cigarette or drug. It often starts days earlier. Poor sleep, chronic stress, loneliness or emotional conflict gradually weaken executive control while strengthening craving networks. By the time the substance is used, the brain has often been moving towards relapse long before anyone notices. Perhaps the greatest misconception is that addiction persists because people do not understand the consequences. Most smokers know cigarettes cause cancer. People with alcohol dependence know alcohol is damaging their health. The problem is not knowledge. It is that subconscious brain systems responsible for habits, emotional regulation and impulse control gradually overpower conscious intention. Counselling, motivation and mindfulness all have an important place in recovery, but on their own they may not be enough to reverse deeply ingrained patterns of brain function. The brain can change again The encouraging news is that the brain remains remarkably adaptable throughout life. The encouraging news is that the brain remains remarkably adaptable throughout life. This ability to reorganise itself by strengthening some neural connections while weakening others is known as neuroplasticity. Healthier pathways can gradually replace those driving addictive behaviour. Recovery is therefore not simply about removing a substance or restricting access to it. It is about helping the brain develop healthier ways of responding to stress, emotion and reward until it no longer relies on addiction as its primary coping strategy. The author is the founder of NeuroLeap and HALE Healthy Ageing Longevity Enhancement. His work focuses on brain-first longevity and the intersection of neuroscience and everyday health