Wednesday Black Session Week 2

Day Off - Active Rest

Below is an interesting picture to say the least.  This week we are talking about the importance of becoming educated on the harmful affects drugs and alcohol have on the mind and body.  We have to become experts on the subject if we are going to beat addiction.  We have to know exactly what these substances do.  I thought Chet did an incredible job on informing us about the stages of change.

It's interesting to see the damage that these substance have on the brain; and how these substances cause a less intense dopamine receptor signal in addicted individuals.  Thats why the person who struggles with addiction has to fight to be happy, and learn to get high a natural way -  through exercise and spirituality. Post your thoughts to comments. Come prepared to have a good conversation on Thursday.

Repeated drug exposure changes brain function. Positron emission tomography (PET) images are illustrated showing similar brain changes in dopamine receptors resulting from addiction to different substances - cocaine, methamphetamine, alcohol, or heroin. The striatum (which contains the reward and motor circuitry) shows up as bright red and yellow in the controls (in the left column), indicating numerous dopamine D2 receptors. Conversely, the brains of addicted individuals (in the right column) show a less intense signal, indicating lower levels of dopamine D2 receptors.