What DeltaFosB Is and Why It Matters in Solving Addiction Problems

Using a simplified approach, I explain the addiction process, the dopamine system, and a critical genetic component (ΔFosB) for dealing with addictions.

This story is for information and awareness purposes. It does not include health advice.

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Imbalance among dopaminergic circuits is a known cause of compulsive drug use and loss of control in addiction. ΔFosB is a sustained molecular switch for addiction

A reader asked me what one concept is to understand the behavior in the brain to visualize the addiction and take action. In other words, the reader wanted to know how addiction happens in the brain. I volunteered to simplify it based on my years of experience in cognitive and mental health.

My goal is to simplify the addiction process, the dopamine system, and a critical concept (DeltaFosB) at the genetic level that might help with dealing with them. This knowledge might contribute to behavioral change during the healing process.

I briefly introduce the role of dopamine and the transcription factor called DeltaFosB, causing addictive behavior and leading to mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.

This post explains the regulation of neural gene expression for forming or erasing addictions in practical terms. We don’t have to be a neuroscientist to understand the role of dopamine and DeltaFosB to empower us in dealing with addictions.

However, we might need support from qualified healthcare professionals for severe cases of addiction as it is a complex neurological and biochemical issue. But first, let me define addiction and highlight why it matters to individuals and society.

What is addiction, and why does it matter?

We have become a highly addictive society for various reasons. Addiction at the highest level is dependence on a substance or action to get the same level of pleasure each time.

This definition shows addiction as an innocent outcome. One might ask what is wrong with enjoying what our body and mind accept.

Despite the consequences of a substance or behavior, if we crave it when we don’t supply it, it indicates we have an addiction problem. Dealing with cravings is hugely challenging for humans, putting them in a vulnerable position.

The most common addictive substances are illegal drugs, nicotine, and sugar. The widespread addictive behaviors are porn, gambling, computer gaming, emotional eating, running, and social media.

Addiction changes the brain chemistry, leading to anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions if not treated timely. So, even though it is difficult, addiction is treatable.

Addiction itself is a chronic medical condition. It is highly complex as it involves circuits of the brain, hormones, neurotransmitters, genetics, and the environment of the addicted person.

Addictive substances and behaviors create vigorous neural paths in our brains. The ongoing action of repeating a habit creates robust circuits in the brain, making it difficult to remove. Thus, dealing with addictions takes significant time and effort.

Addiction is one of the well-known root causes of mental health conditions adversely affecting millions of people globally.

Unfortunately, industries causing addictions to citizens globally are trillions of dollars impacting the economy. In addition to health and well-being consequences, addiction is also an extremely complex economic construct with societal impact and implications.

The Role of Dopamine in Addiction

Even though different hormones and neurotransmitters get involved in the addiction process, the master biochemical is dopamine, based on the accumulated knowledge in neuroscience.

Understanding the critical role of dopamine in addiction can be valuable in dealing with addictions proactively and effectively.

Dopamine is a very complex neurotransmitter. However, at the highest level, it has two critical roles.

The first is to motivate us towards pleasure to take action. The second is to take action to avoid pain (danger/risks) for survival. So, it is a motivator to chase the reward and move from risks.

The dopamine system achieves these goals by using a specific mechanism, which is the core message of my article.

Awareness of this biochemical tool called DeltaFosB at a conceptual level can be invaluable. Therefore, I will briefly introduce and simplify it in the next section.

The Role and Function of DeltaFosB

We can visualize DeltaFosB (ΔFosB) as a conceptual switch for the brain. The dopamine system uses this switch to determine rewards and punishments, keeping a record of the dopamine levels. It acts at the genetic level.

DeltaFosB represents a vital mechanism by which addictive substances or behavior produce long-lasting biochemical neuronal changes in the brain that contribute to addiction. ΔFosB is a potent molecular switch leading to happiness or suffering based on its levels.

All stimulants give dopamine hits. The brain keeps the records using DeltaFosB by increasing them with each impact. The constant release of dopamine to the neurons desensitizes them. So, the brain needs more dopamine-producing stimulants like drugs or other substances to have the same effect.

The chemical intensity and durability of DeltaFosB are very potent. For example, each time the bar is raised, it stays around ten days before lowering. It is not like other epigenetic switches that happen in hours or minutes.

With constant dopamine release, this epigenetic switch moves from one operating mode to another, creating a baseline. The frequent release of dopamine in increasing amounts makes the baseline higher notch by notch.

Daily activities such as eating, exercising, drinking, and making love release dopamine. However, these activities do not adversely affect the DeltaFosB level as the brain can regulate them naturally.

We don’t get addicted to vegetables but can get to sugar as it causes more dopamine spikes than other foods. In addition, sugar can be hidden in so many other foods, causing excessive dopamine release, not only causing metabolic issues but also mental health problems.

The disproportional release of dopamine causes the problem with the DeltaFosB level, leading to addictive behavior. Illegal drugs, nicotine, sugar, porn, and gambling are well-known contributors to the disproportional release of dopamine.

Each time the brain experiences this behavior, it raises the bar of DeltaFosB. As it is potent and durable for ten days, if the addictive activity continues, the bar will always go higher and higher, requiring more dopamine to make the same effect.

Therefore, drug, alcohol, and nicotine addiction are complicated to deal with. Therapists who understand this process create solutions to gradually reduce the bar of DeltaFosB. Those who can lower the bar can successfully get rid of specific addictions.

This is a thirty-thousand-foot view of addiction. My critical message is addiction is a biochemical activity. Unless we address it at the chemical level, other levels will have a negligible impact and will not solve the problem.

The biggest problem during this process is dealing with withdrawal symptoms, especially cravings. The craving will only disappear when the biochemical issue is resolved. Therefore, willpower and other techniques like visualizations have little effect until the chemical process is addressed.

There are also behavioral abnormalities, such as occurring relapses, even after many years of abstinence from the addictive substance or behavior. Addiction research is highly active as it is a complex and critical matter for society.

Conclusions and Takeaways

Dopamine is a critical neurotransmitter for our survival. Without its controlled release, we can’t enjoy life, and everything loses its meaning. Therefore, we need to understand the importance, role, and function of biochemicals for neurological and mental health.

The release of dopamine for usual and addiction-producing behavior significantly differs. The real difference is the amount and frequency of dopamine release.

Substances like drugs produce dopamine in order of magnitude. Therefore, they raise the bar of DeltaFosB too high, which makes it highly challenging to lower it without significant time and effort.

Imbalance among dopaminergic circuits is a known cause of compulsive drug use and loss of control in addiction.

Addiction is not a matter of character but an issue of a biochemical imbalance in the brain. The addictive brain leads to anxiety, guilt, and depression. When the brain gets addicted, it falsely miscalculates rewards and dangers.

These uncomfortable emotions, when accumulated, cause the loss of the meaning of life for people with severe addiction problems. Unfortunately, those who cannot handle the situation attempt to end their lives.

One of the most significant issues with the addiction handling process is dealing with withdrawal symptoms, which hurts the patients and makes it difficult for them to cope.

Therefore, addiction patients need support from qualified healthcare professionals who can reduce withdrawal symptoms with therapeutic approaches such as medication and behavioral modifications.

Addictive behavior does not bring benefits except filling the dopamine gap each time. The gap grows as the addiction gets stronger, as is the case for smoking and drug use.

If addictive behavior is not addressed using personal intervention and therapeutic ways by professionals, the constant chemical change in the brain of patients for a prolonged time can impair it and cause irreversible neurological damage.

I am optimistic because neuroplasticity occurs through continuous learning. If we take personal responsibility and seek support timely, we can rewire our neurocircuits to reduce the effects of addictions.

The best way to understand our obsession is to give up the behavior or substance for a short while. If we crave to do it during abstinence, that means we have an addiction problem to what we try to give up.

I had two significant addictions in my younger years: sugar and smoking. Both of them created severe withdrawal symptoms when I attempted to give up.

However, after solving the biochemical issues, the withdrawal symptoms disappeared from both addictions. Nowadays, my brain has no attraction toward sugary food or cigarettes.

Even though severe cases require medication and medical intervention, dealing with addictions such as sugar, pornography, smoking, and social media with practical lifestyle changes and creating new supportive habits is possible.

Learning about addictive substances and behavior is critical to dealing with them. In addition, as addiction chemically affects the brain, it is essential to address the issues timely.

I hope this quick introduction to the dopamine system and the DeltaFosB concept can give you a valuable perspective on dealing with or preventing addictions.

Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.

To inform my new readers, I wrote numerous articles that might inform and inspire you. My topics include brain and cognitive function, significant health conditions, longevity, nutrition/food, valuable nutrients, ketogenic lifestyle, self-healing, weight management, writing/reading, science, technology, business, and humor.

I compile my health and wellness stories on my blog, EUPHORIA. My posts do not include professional or health advice. I only document my reviews, observations, experiences, and perspectives to provide information and create awareness.