What’s Happening in Our Brains

Ever felt like you were fighting your own mind? Like part of you knows better, but another part won’t let go? That’s what addiction feels like. And it’s not about weakness or bad choices — it’s biology.

Understanding what’s going on in your brain can replace shame with clarity. And clarity is power.

Carl Erik Fisher explains in The Urge that addiction hijacks the brain’s reward system. Substances flood the brain with dopamine, creating intense feelings of pleasure. Over time, the brain adjusts, needing more just to feel “normal.”

Gabor Maté, in In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, shares that addiction is often a response to emotional pain. The brain learns to rely on substances to escape discomfort.

Maia Szalavitz adds in Undoing Drugs that understanding brain chemistry helps us approach recovery with compassion, not judgment.

Real-Life Snapshot:

What once helped things grow now overwhelms them. The garden gets waterlogged, the roots rot, and weeds take over. And here’s the hard part: the flood doesn’t stop. Addiction is progressive. Over time, it takes more and more just to feel “normal,” while the garden suffers more damage with each wave.

The brain scrambles to protect itself — pulling back, rewiring, and sometimes shutting down pathways altogether.

Recovery is the slow, steady work of draining the floodwaters, pulling weeds, and patiently planting again — with care, intention, and grace.

Practical Steps:

Your brain can heal. It rewires with time and effort.

Small Habits Matter: Exercise, good sleep, and healthy nutrition all support brain recovery.

You are not your brain chemistry. With every healthy choice, you are reshaping your mind. Patience: Healing isn’t instant. Celebrate the small milestones.

Be patient. Be kind to yourself. Healing is happening, even if you can’t see it yet.

Reflection Questions:

How does understanding the biology of addiction change the way I view recovery?

What small, brain-friendly habits can I start today?

Quick Action Step:

Today, pick one thing that helps your brain heal. Maybe it’s getting an extra 15 minutes of sleep. Maybe it’s a short walk outside. Maybe it’s calling a friend. These simple things support your brain’s recovery. Trust that they matter, even if they seem small. Every step is your brain rewiring toward health.

Addiction rewires the brain, but healing rewires it too. Small steps matter. #BrainHealing #Neuroplasticity #CompassionInRecovery #intentionalservant