Why drug addiction ruins people's lives...

...a recent study has shown that dopamine affects the choices we make. (well duh🙄)

The greater the expected dopamine from any activity ....the more we desire to do it ....makes sense .
A finch will choose courting over quenching thirst or eating if the opportunity arises .

Same with humans.

But the drive from dopamine from a 'hit' or expected hit, (or drink or session or purchase or whatever... etc), can be SO STRONG it can override basic needs such as hunger, thirst, work and relationships.

Basically - un natural dopamine levels from drugs, (or any addiction whether it be gambling, shopping or whatever), override our natural ablitiy to differentiate needs.
- Even drop some needs altogether....they just don't register enough dopamine to be considered personallly important🤷‍♀

And it's why ex addicts have trouble 'feeling' when they quit. Normal dopamine levels just don't cut it like they used to ....so nothing seems desirable any more: not food, not drink, not even love .

And it's why loving an ex addict is so hard . Their dopamine levels have been so numbed over, it takes high amounts for them to register want or desire.

Sorry .... just found it interesting 🤷‍♀

Edit: the good news is, (with the exclusion of some of the newer synthetic drugs), this state is usually repairable over time .

But it can take years for an addictcs body to get jack to normal fuction ....or close to.
And requires dedication.