Addiction, Nova PBS Documentary According to the Nova PBS documentary (2022) “Individuals struggling with addiction are battling millions of years of evolution, because our brains exquisitely evolved, to seek rewards.” (Nova, 2022, 0:48). As the documentary explains the scientific explanation of drug addiction, you can see how addiction affects the brain and body. Substances like oxycontin, alcohol, and cigarettes affect the role of neurotransmitters like dopamine and play a vital role in the reward system of our brain. This disruption in the brain makes it hard for people to stop cravings and compulsive behaviors. It is hard for people to understand why addiction is hard to overcome. A lot of people do not see the science behind addiction …show more content…
Addiction is a brain disease that affects the brain's function and is not something that individuals do on purpose. Understanding that addiction is a constant issue can lead to greater awareness and support for those struggling with it. In the Documentary, Robert Malenka creates an experiment. Nova PBS 2022 “A mouse is attached to a fiber optic cable and placed in a cage with two holes. When the mouse explores the hole on the right, a flash of light sparks a feeling of pleasure in its brain. At the other end, nothing happens. But that comes with a price: our susceptibility to developing addictions. Obsessed with that burst of pleasure, the mouse will probe the hole several thousand times over the next hour.” (Nova 2022 13:44). This experiment emphasizes how drugs make humans feel. Our need for comfort and need to stop any pain causes us to seek drugs that provide short moments of pleasure. This opens a new insight on addiction as it shows why it is easy for substance users to keep coming back for more, even if it hurts or kills them. The mouse probing the hole several times within an hour because of the amount of pleasure is the same thing that opioids, alcohol, and other substances do to those who are addicted. Understanding the connection is crucial for developing better methods of aiding those with