The Effects Of Drug Abuse On Serotonin And Dopamine

Serotonin and dopamine are two hormones that help to regulate important functions like memory, mood, and sleep.

Many illicit drugs and alcohol cause the central nervous system (CNS) to produce more of these hormones or block the reabsorption of them, resulting in elevated levels.

The heightened levels of these hormones play a direct role in the addictive potential of drug and alcohol abuse.

Unfortunately, the brain’s natural adaptability can result in the CNS drastically reducing the normal output of these hormones, contributing to co-occurring mental illness and other health disorders.

What Are Serotonin And Dopamine?

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that carries signals between nerve cells in the brain and your body. Serotonin plays a role in controlling mood, sleep, digestion, blood clotting, bone health, etc.

High or low serotonin can cause physical and psychological problems such as digestive problems and OCD.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter made by the brain. Dopamine plays the role of the reward center in the brain and helps control memory, mood, movement, motivation, etc.

High or low dopamine levels can contribute to diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and schizophrenia.

What Drugs Affect Serotonin And Dopamine

Various drug types affect serotonin and dopamine neurotransmitters both when used regularly and when abused.

Dopamine is affected by:

• hallucinogens
• selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI)
• serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI)
• monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI)
• analgesics
• benzodiazepines
•  amp
• stimulants
• triptan
• tricyclic antidepressants

Serotonin is affected by antipsychotics, inhalants, and antiemetics.

Many narcotics, including opioids and some atypical antidepressants, affect both dopamine and serotonin levels.

How Addictive Drugs Affect Serotonin And Dopamine

Addictive drugs interfere with the way neurons receive, send, and process signals from neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin.

Many addictive drugs cause an artificial increase in these hormones through one of two primary methods.

Increased Production

Certain drugs increase production by binding to dopamine and serotonin receptors.

Drugs such as amphetamines cause neurons to release large amounts of naturally occurring
serotonin and dopamine through the inhibition of serotonin and dopamine transporters.

The increased production can cause abnormal communication between neurons over time.

Decreased Reuptake

Certain drugs inhibit the reuptake of dopamine and serotonin. Drugs such as cocaine attach to the dopamine transporter, which sends free-floating dopamine back into the cell.

As long as cocaine occupies the transporter, dopamine can’t re-enter the cell through this route. It then builds up in the synapse, stimulating receiving cell receptors.

The stimulation of cell receptors produces a greater dopamine effect on the receiving cells than what occurs during natural interactions.

Long-Term Effects Of Drug Abuse On Brain Chemistry

While intense feelings of euphoria can occur with early drug use, this is only the beginning of the cycle of addiction.

Drugs of abuse create a hyperactive system by triggering large increases in dopamine, which produces intense sensations that encourage repeated use.

Regular drug abuse can contribute to the brain producing, absorbing, or transmitting less dopamine and serotonin in an attempt to achieve normal levels, which creates a chemical imbalance in the brain.

When the drug isn’t active in the brain, serotonin and dopamine can drop to abnormally low levels, causing cravings and uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms.

The result of the drop in these hormone levels contributes to addiction and dependency as well as a heightened risk of developing depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses affected by hormone levels.

How Changes In Brain Chemistry Affect Mental Health

Mental illness often involves an imbalance of the natural chemicals in your brain and body, including serotonin and dopamine. Regular drug use can lead to an imbalance of these chemicals.

Scientific evidence demonstrates that lower levels of serotonin and dopamine in the brain contribute to the symptoms associated with depression and anxiety.

In addition to these hormonal shifts, drug abuse can also reduce the presence of certain amino acids, such as gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), increasing the risk of insomnia and other sleep disorders.

While the evidence of the involvement of addiction is more tenuous, research does show that schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are also tied to chemical imbalances in the brain.

The Risk Of Serotonin Syndrome

Serotonin syndrome is a serious reaction to drug use and is most often associated with illicit drugs such as amphetamines and other stimulants like ecstasy.

The condition is caused when medications build up high levels of serotonin in the body, which can lead to mild to severe symptoms, including death, if left untreated.

In some cases, serotonin syndrome can also occur through the use of SSRIs to treat depression or by mixing these SSRIs with other substances that increase the release of serotonin.

Treatment For Addiction And Co-Occurring Disorders

Substance use disorder and co-occurring mental disorder treatment often involves both clinical providers and supportive service organizations.

There are several major therapies and other strategies used for the treatment of addiction and co-occurring disorders in both adolescents and adults.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioral therapy is designed to change harmful beliefs and behaviors. CBT is effective at treating anxiety and mood disorders as well as substance use disorders.

CBT teaches coping skills and focuses on how someone’s thoughts and attitudes affect their feelings and actions.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Dialectical behavior therapy focuses on helping people accept the reality of their behaviors and lives and seeks to replace negative behaviors with positive behaviors.

DBT has been proven effective in treating eating disorders, PTSD, and other disorders.

Assertive Community Treatment (ACT)

Assertive Community Treatment programs offer treatment and support services with an individual-centered approach.

ACT services include mental health treatment, vocational treatment, family education, wellness skill development, peer support, and other services in a community setting.

Contingency Management (CM)

Contingency management aims to reward positive behaviors and reduce negative behaviors such as drug use.

CM is an incentive-based program that is effective for improving treatment compliance and reducing drug use and can be combined with other behavioral health treatments to treat
co-occurring mental health disorders.

Exposure Therapy

Exposure therapy is an evidence-based treatment in which an individual is exposed repeatedly to a feared situation, object, or event.

Exposure therapy is used to treat PTSD, anxiety disorders and phobias. Exposure therapy works by desensitizing the individual to the triggering stimulus and help them develop effective coping mechanisms.

There are a variety of other effective treatments used to treat addiction and co-occurring disorders.

Learn About Addiction Treatment In Massachusetts

If you or a loved one are seeking addiction treatment in Massachusetts, we can help. Contact Bedrock Recovery Center today about our addiction treatment options.