Brain Basics
This part of the brain helps you make decisions and control impulses
prefrontal cortex
Drugs cause a surge of this “feel-good” chemical
dopamine?
This brain system makes you feel pleasure when doing something enjoyable
reward system
This explains why someone may relapse: weakened control from the prefrontal cortex combined with overactive stress and reward systems
impaired executive function and heightened limbic/amygdala reactivity
How can being romantically involved as a teenager heighten the possibility for using substances?
Your partner uses, their friends use, coping with stress/breakups/emotional challenges with substances
This system controls emotions and motivation
limbic system
Over time, the brain needs more of a drug to feel the same effect
tolerance
Because of drugs, normal activities may start to feel this
enjoyable or boring
How can being romantically involved as a teenager heighten the possibility for using substances?
Your partner uses, their friends use, coping with stress/breakups/emotional challenges with substances
Why can't someone consent while under the influence?
impaired judgement, reduced awareness and memory, emotional reactivity (not aware of the psychological effects of being intimate with someone)
This brain part is responsible for memory formation
hippocampus
When the brain stops producing normal levels of pleasure chemicals
dependence
This brain structure helps drive cravings and motivation to use again
limbic system
A person feels unable to leave a relationship despite harm because of emotional highs and lows
trauma bond
This is when someone feels responsible for “fixing” another person’s addiction
codependency
This part controls breathing and heart rate
brainstem
This happens when someone feels sick or anxious after stopping drug use
withdrawal
What are the psychological reasons teen use?
To cope with stress, family issues, relationship issues, mental health challenges, to fit in..
This happens when someone makes you feel guilty for setting boundaries
manipulation
This occurs when one person sacrifices their needs repeatedly to maintain the relationship
an unhealthy (or imbalanced) relationship
This brain area helps turn behaviors into habits
basal ganglia
Drugs can “rewire” the brain by changing this
neural pathways
Say one nice thing to the person next to you
This pattern includes jealousy, control, and unpredictable behavior
toxic relationship
This explains why someone might return to a toxic relationship tied to past emotional “highs”
conditioned memories (hippocampus + reward system)