Alcohol and the Brain
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Teresa_Moen]Teresa Moen
Alcohol was being discussed as a disease long before the writing of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous in 1939. In 1849 Swedish Physician Magnus Huss coined the phrase "alcoholism" as what he referred to as a chronic relapsing disease. The American physician, Benjamin rush, and signer of the united States Declaration of Independence was perhaps to first to use the term addiction in reference to a man's loss of control over alcohol.
By the time Bill W. went to visit Dr. Silkworth alcoholism had already been accepted as a disease in many corners of the psychiatric world. How else would one explain a person who was willing to continue drinking in the face of total loss and devastation. Dr. Silkworth in his letter to Alcoholic's Anonymous, which was later printed in the Big Book had this to say about it. "Men and women drink essentially because they like the effect produced by alcohol. The sensation is so elusive that, while they admit it is injurious, they cannot after a time differentiate the true from the false. To them, their alcoholic life seems the only normal one. They are restless, irritable and discontented, unless they can again experience the sense of ease and comfort which comes at once by taking a few drinks, drinks which they see others taking with impunity. After they have succumbed to the desire again, as so many do, and the phenomenon of craving develops, they pass through the well-known stages of a spree, emerging remorseful, with a firm resolution not to drink again. This is repeated over and over, and unless this person can experience an entire psychic change there is little hope of his recovery. (William Silkworth, MD the doctors Opinion, Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous).
In 1934 Bill W. had a spiritual experience which then led him to the creation of the program of Alcoholics Anonymous. He understood he had a disease of the mind and body that he had no personal power over. He experienced this powerlessness in the countless failed attempts to quit drinking. What Bill W. and DR. Silkworth did not know at the time was what Bill had experienced was a sudden rush of dopamine to the brain brought on by a touch from the divine.
Dopamine is a chemical released in the brain which causes it to respond to pleasure. Dopamine is released through sex, food, and pleasurable experiences. Or in Bill's case a sudden over-whelming expression of love from God. Dopamine is absorbed in the brain by transporters. The brain reacts to this un-natural stimulation by decreasing it's natural production of dopamine. Because the dopamine released in the brain through the consumption of alcohol is increased, the brain automatically responds by creating more transporters to carry away the increase of dopamine. When the alcohol is taken away the brain does not adjust for several weeks creating an environment in which the transporters are desperately seeking dopamine. Because dopamine is the chemical that gives a person a sense of pleasure and contentedness the person experiences feelings of anxiety, depression and irritability.
Look at it this way. Dopamine is grains of sand you are throwing on the floor and vacuum cleaners are transporters. As you throw more sand on the floor more vacuum cleaners appear like magic to clean it up. In time you tire of constantly throwing sand on the floor because the more you give to the vacuum the more vacuums appear. So one day you decide to quit throwing out sand but the vacuums come anyway. The vacuums not understanding you had made a decision to cut them off from sand race about the room frantically looking for sand. When they can find none they become despondent, shaking, irritable and confused. The only way they can feel normal again is for you to throw more sand for them to clean up.
Because our brain does not create dopamine while depressed, angry, and irritable the condition can continue indefinitely until arrested either through picking up alcohol again, having a dopamine rush through a spiritual experience, or a change in the way one thinks. Many people who come to the realization they can no longer drink seek help either through treatment or AA. Through these avenues the alcoholic experiences companionship and a sense that there is a solution. From this point hope is borne, where there is hope there is joy. Where there is joy there is dopamine and the vacuum cleaners are again satisfied in their search for sand. This can create a state of euphoria which has been referred to by newly sober people as the pink cloud.
But as normal life patterns once again settle in the feeling of being liberated from King-Alcohol is replaced with worries of daily life. The flood of dopamine to the brain slows down, the transporters begin to search for more and feelings of irritability return. Unless the person stays constantly diligent against anger, depression and negative thinking he is doomed to relapse. His mind still desires an increased level of dopamine to feel normal. If he can not get that from a change in his own thinking he will return to the drink just to feel ok. Because he had created an environment in his own mind consisting of an increased amount of transporters he will always need more dopamine to satisfy them.
Bill W and Dr. Bob knew nothing of chemistry of the brain. Nor did the great scientists of their time. But what they did know was that resentments, anger and negative thinking led to craving booze. Without knowing it they had set up the perfect program to deal with replacing the needed dopamine their brains were looking for. The 12 steps is designed to lead a person through a process that cleans up the old brain chemistry and creates a positive outlook on life. Followed thoroughly it releases an individual from worry through belief in God, and gives one a sense of purpose and joy through working our fellow man.
I'm Teri a very grateful recovering alcoholic, drug addict and codependent. I began my journey 23 years ago and have since had many spiritual awakenings and revelations into addiction. I have my BS in Applied Science and have had the joy of counseling others who are addicted as well as sponsored over 30 women most of whom are still in recovery. It is Bill W's words that more will be revealed that keeps my quest to understand addiction, which in turn keeps my recovery fresh and still filled with wonder. I currently host a web site called myrecovery-space.com which includes information, social interaction pages, and a forum.
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