The Reward Center of the Mind --by Aaron Michael Garcia

     The brain, professionals say, is the most invasive created organism on the planet, and quite possibly in existence. Of all the things in this world, such as plants, trees, creatures, mother earth, this universe, the brain seems to outweigh the by standards that completes human existence. What goes on in the brain is fascinating to say the least. Neurons, synopses—a balance of regularity—all is consistently going on within your skull without you attempting voluntarily moving a muscle. But there’s this one area of the brain a lot of people are unaware of—it’s called the reward center. The pathway circuit located in the brain called the hypothalamus, the key detector of reward, releases dopamine to exhibit a sense of accomplishment and pleasure. Under normal conditions, we have natural reward response’s such as food, sex, and social interaction that instinctively drives us. Pretty weird right? Let’s go further.

     What if I was to tell you that you were meant to be addicted? Would you believe me? Addiction has had a negative stigma ever since it was founded during the “hippie generation.” But each one of us, considered addict or not, has some sort of addiction. Some reward is good, but when we fall into the traps of this world, we lose who we are as an individual. When a person uses drugs for the first time the brain is flooded with dopamine and the individual gets an overwhelming sense of accomplishment, euphoria, creativity, and reward. We actually trick our brain into thinking we are giving it something good. What happens in the process when we begin to use often is the dopamine receptors lose the ability to make us feel good, in which, the user goes back for more to get that same sense of reward. This is called substance tolerance. This is where a person goes from recreational using to addiction. The attempt to always get back to that same high. Following the increasingly upper-level of dopamine that floods the brain you drop down below the normal level. This is where hopelessness, depression, anxiety, and loss of self comes from. You begin to hate who you are and what you have become. You always attempt to go back to the “feel good” sensation, but the reality is you will never get there. You keep falling deeper-and-deeper into the abyss of hopelessness and eventually suicide comes into focus because you can’t take it anymore. Let me switch gears for you because as you read this I want to fill you up with hope and a new way of thinking.

     Life was meant to be embraced. To wake up every morning fresh, anew, and ready for the next big thing. You have to exchange your old reward center for a new one. Imagine you are a car, weird, I know, but just follow me here. As you use drugs your engine begins to run at high speeds, the oil begins to thicken, and eventually the car has a lot of miles on it. You keep taking it into the shop and getting it checked out, but after you leave the shop you go back to revving up the engine again until you blow it. Now you are left with a car who’s engine doesn’t run and you find yourself on the edge of the road waiting for a tow truck. This is your tow truck opportunity in this life right now. You can change everything at this very moment, you don’t have to keep going back to the shop. We need to transform the way you think. The Bible even says, “Not to be conformed to this world, but transform your mind daily.” Don’t conform to the patterns of this world, transform your mind to the things which bring life. Instead of waking up wanting to use volunteer at a local charity. Something happens when you serve others. Addiction is an inward look, but if we can get you to look outward and invest in other people’s lives it helps fulfill your life. Get yourself in an environment away from other addicts and people who bring you down. “Bad company corrupts good behavior.” So even if you are trying to quit using, the same individuals can keep bringing you back in. Find motivated people who are with you, not for you because you use drugs.
     
     The reward center is a beneficial enzyme that’s natural, but when taken out of its normal environment it can bring destruction. Change the way you think. Change the way you use reward by creating self-worth and accomplishment from positive things. As you transform the things within your mind people will see the transformation on the outside. This sense of accomplishment will bring satisfaction that does not come from this world, but is used as a launch pad to transcend you into the next chapter of your life. I encourage you today, use the reward center for self-accomplishing things by volunteering, joining a support group, and getting into the right environment. By this, you will have more gifts and characteristics than you could possible imagine. Take advantage of the reward center within your mind!