The Central Nervous System
It controls how we think, feel, and act.
What is the central nervous system?
These specialized brain cells send and receive messages through electrical impulses.
What are neurons?
The brain remembers these pleasurable sensations and seeks to repeat them, leading to craving.
What are the effects of the reward system?
This is the brain’s ability to make new neural connections to heal from damage.
What is neuroplasticity?
Steven Tyler of Aerosmith wrote this song about finding hope after addiction; the title word also means “extremely good or wonderful.”
What is Amazing?
Over this many cells make up the central nervous system.
What are 150 billion cells?
The small gap between two neurons where neurotransmitters travel.
What is a synapse?
This term describes needing more of a drug to achieve the same effect as before.
What is tolerance?
The brain forms these “habitual routes,” similar to well-traveled hiking trails.
What are neural pathways?
This song by The Cranberries is an unapologetic call to walk away from drug use, titled with a word meaning deliverance.
What is Salvation?
These are the brain’s chemical messengers that signal thoughts, feelings, and actions.
What are neurotransmitters?
This neurotransmitter regulates emotional stability, mood, sleep, and appetite.
What is serotonin?
This occurs when neurons adapt to repeated drug exposure and function normally only with the drug.
What is dependence?
This analogy compares creating new brain pathways to forming new trails in the woods.
What is the hiking trail analogy?
This song by Red Hot Chili Peppers addresses addiction and loneliness, with the line “I don’t ever want to feel like I did that day.”
What is Under the Bridge?
Drugs interfere with the release and metabolism of these chemical messengers, altering normal brain function.
What are neurotransmitters?
A deficiency in this neurotransmitter causes anxiety, fear, and unexplained panic.
What is GABA?
The uncomfortable or even dangerous symptoms that occur when drug use stops.
What is withdrawal syndrome?
These three lifestyle changes help form new neural connections: learning new behaviors, eating nutritiously, and making healthy connections
What are the building blocks of recovery?
This 2018 pop-rock hit by The 1975 sounds like a lovesick anthem, but frontman Matty Healy actually wrote it about his struggle with heroin addiction.
It’s Not Living (If It’s Not With You)” by The 1975?
This is the process where the brain slowly retrains itself and heals after addiction, often taking about one year.
What is recovery of the central nervous system?
This neurotransmitter controls pleasure, attention, and motor function; low levels cause lack of feelings.
What is dopamine?
his occurs when someone replaces one addiction with another that stimulates the same neurotransmitters.
What is cross-addiction?
This concept teaches the brain that drugs aren’t needed to feel pleasure, stability, or fulfillment.
What is behavioral modification through neuroplasticity?
Released in 1999 by the Goo Goo Dolls, this haunting ballad seems like a breakup song — but the “black balloon” actually symbolizes heroin addiction.
What is “Black Balloon” by the Goo Goo Dolls?