The Science of Addiction, S3 Ep1
The Science of Addiction, Understanding Substance Use Disorders
Addiction can often be talked about as a matter of choice or willpower, but what happens when substance use begins to change the brain, influence behavior, and make stopping more difficult?
In Season 3, Episode 1 of Let’s Talk About It With OhioGuidestone, host Derek Rader sits down with Dr. Nicole Labor, DO, BCFP, FASAM, Board-Certified Addiction Medicine Physician, and Medical Director of OhioGuidestone’s Lorain Health Center, to take a closer look at what addiction really is.
Before we can talk about prevention, treatment, or recovery, we need to understand what happens when substance use becomes a disorder.
The science of addiction helps explain why substance use disorders are much more complex than simply choosing whether or not to use a substance. Repeated substance use can affect the brain’s reward, motivation, and decision-making systems, influencing how a person experiences cravings, responds to consequences, and makes decisions about substance use.
The complexity can be difficult to understand, not only for the person experiencing a substance use disorder, but also for their family, friends, or loved ones.
Dr. Labor brings both medical expertise and personal insight into recovery to this important conversation to help us look beyond common assumptions and misunderstandings about addiction and help us consider what recovery can actually look like.
Watch the episode below or listen to the full conversation wherever you listen to podcasts to hear Dr. Labor discuss addiction, harm reduction, recovery, and the science of addiction. Subscribe to Let’s Talk About It With OhioGuidestone wherever you get your podcasts.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a substance use disorder and looking for support, OhioGuidestone offers a complete continuum of behavioral health, substance use, and recovery services designed to meet people where they are.
