NoBones

I'm new at this, but every time I beat those strong urges to get drunk, I feel great as soon as the urge passes. I imagine that I might be getting a little dopamine hit every time I succeed.

Not sure if that is the case or not, but if so, might it be possible to get mildly addicted to it?...kinda like some people are addicted to getting likes on Facebook. Because of the mild dopamine hit.

Dropsie

I get it.

And this is what leads to a happy life.

Little victories. Doing the next right thing.

Go for it -- talk about a healthy addiction!

Buckley3

Yes. In fact, one could argue that all behavior is 'addictive' in a sense. The neurons in our brains form networks of connections. Repeated behaviors reinforce those networks - making them more and more efficient at utilizing the energy and impulses that travel them.

It uses several chemicals to reward that behavior - two of which are dopamine and serotonin. It's why when you cross something off a list you feel a sense of accomplishment. That's your brain telling you to keep doing that type of thing so it can use energy more efficiently.

As we behave and interact with the world - we either reinforce those existing networks, or we reconfigure them into new networks. It's called neuro-plasticity. The idea that we are static creatures from a consciousness standpoint is dead scientifically and flat out wrong. Now, some of our pathways may be deeply entrenched - hard wired one might say - but nonetheless we can influence a great deal.

So yea, in a sense all behaviors share a kind of addictive property of action--> reward -->action. We physically respond to such patterns. The question is how healthy or constructive is the environment in which your brain is making those connections and reinforcing them. The brain itself doesn't much care about the quality of the environment outside of it's ability to use energy more efficiently - it is predisposed and has evolved to make that a priority. Where we come in and can influence it is the environment in which we let our brains do its work.

Best,

B

Nonsensical

By extrapolation you might start craving cravings.

Mind. Blown.