Question: How do addictions start ? Is there anything that happens in the brain or body that makes a person want to experience something again ?

Karla Dussan answered on 14 Nov 2017:

I was actually reading a book recently on “emotions” and the brain were they mention we have basically three systems in our brain for “managing our mood”: a “threat/selfprotection” system regulated by the amygdala and the stress hormone cortisol; a “soothing” system regulated by endorphins and the hormone oxytocin; and the “incentive” system regulated by the levels of dopamine in our brain. This last one makes you feel good to motivate you to do things, like studying hard for your exam to get good grades, or eat a whole pizza just to enjoy it. Any type of addition is connected to the regulation of the dopamine: the brain releases dopamine when you do that particular activity that you are addicted to, and so you crave to continue to do it continuing the addition. And because your brain kind of get used to the amount of dopamine release, you need to engage in your addiction more and more in order to get the same pleasure or incentive as before.