Why Our Brains Want to Be Addicted | The Chemistry of Addiction

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  • čas přidán 9. 06. 2024
  • Why do we crave sugar, alcohol, cigarettes, and other pleasure seeking behaviors? Turns out, our brains kind of want to be addicted. Join Hank Green as he describes how our brains respond biochemically to various addictive substances and behaviors and where those responses have come from, according to science and biology! Let's go!
    Like SciShow: / scishow
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    Sources
    www.eurekalert.org/pub_release...
    www.nytimes.com/2012/06/06/opi...
    www.drugabuse.gov/sites/defaul...
    www.livescience.com/15563-addi...
    www.treatment4addiction.com/ad...
    www.scripps.edu/newsandviews/e...
    www.economist.com/node/16056339
    www.psychologytoday.com/blog/l...
    bigthink.com/going-mental/your...
    www.psychologytoday.com/blog/b...
    www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontli...
    www.utexas.edu/research/asrec/...
    www.psychologytoday.com/articl...
    teens.drugabuse.gov/facts/fact...
    www.macalester.edu/academics/p...
    www.health.harvard.edu/newswee...
    www.sciencedaily.com/releases/...
    www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK...
    www.psychologytoday.com/articl...
    www.psychologytoday.com/blog/y...
    www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v...
    www.sciencedaily.com/releases/...
    Images:
    commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fil...
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    www.drugabuse.gov/sites/defaul...
    blog.citizen.apps.gov/howtomob...
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    news.tn.gov/system/files/Hero...

Komentáře • 3,2K

  • @anitapezzi2439
    @anitapezzi2439 Před 5 lety +396

    As a recovering drug addict with 6 years clean, I think it would be quite interesting if you did an episode about the recovery from drug addiction on a chemical level. What damage is repairable vs. what damage is not.

    • @williampowell9366
      @williampowell9366 Před 2 lety +8

      Have they done this yet?

    • @thealchemist69666
      @thealchemist69666 Před rokem

      Hush druggies

    • @tylerdurdin8069
      @tylerdurdin8069 Před rokem +2

      Hank did an episode similar to what you want already. Don't remember if it was on sci show or his own channel though.

    • @RobespierreThePoof
      @RobespierreThePoof Před rokem +10

      The dominant theory of addiction (dopaminergic) is just the best expansion we presently have at hand but things get fairly complicated when you start asking why opiates are so strongly addictive and why some people seem to be far more successorale than others.
      I find addiction science a little unsatisfying in it's present form. The current theories just don't seem to fully explain the diversity of responses to behaviors and chemistry that are reported to be addictive.

    • @alcaldealer8515
      @alcaldealer8515 Před rokem +1

      You could research this on your own. Why listen to what others have to say vs your own finding. Must be an American who needs constant validation. Btw congrats I’m 10 years clean

  • @bloodspilla55
    @bloodspilla55 Před 11 lety +499

    "The brain is the most complicated piece of matter in the universe"
    -Brain

    • @Dagrizzb
      @Dagrizzb Před 3 lety +11

      Lol. What a bias to behold.

    • @laaaliiiluuu
      @laaaliiiluuu Před 3 lety +33

      "Humans are an intelligent species."
      - Humans

    • @trunghungpham9414
      @trunghungpham9414 Před 2 lety +2

      @@laaaliiiluuu Well tbh, no species smarter than human have been found tbh.

    • @laaaliiiluuu
      @laaaliiiluuu Před 2 lety +4

      @@trunghungpham9414 1 million is more than 100,000 but still far from 1 trillion or even infinity. Intelligence is a very relative term.

    • @lordawesometony2764
      @lordawesometony2764 Před 2 lety +1

      @@laaaliiiluuu we are tho lol

  • @MegaSqueakymouse
    @MegaSqueakymouse Před 10 lety +532

    This makes me think... If dopamine makes you remember things better, and it is released through happiness, why don't schools focus a bit more on making kids happy instead of just shoving the information at you?

    • @LadyLahdeedah
      @LadyLahdeedah Před 10 lety +106

      Not to sound judgmental, but that may be because doing so requires more creativity and effort on the part of the educators and the educational system.

    • @natepotvin
      @natepotvin Před 10 lety +61

      What about the current education system is it that makes you think they give a shit?

    • @crabwilde
      @crabwilde Před 10 lety +17

      I actually like school now. I mean, it sucked for the past 12 years of my life, but it's way more interesting now. I love Chemistry, Physics, English and Media, and they're all taught in an engaging and entertaining way. It's also memorable, because fun is inherently more memorable than blunt information.

    • @Dact3
      @Dact3 Před 10 lety +32

      Because the goal is to suppress creativity because of the power it holds.

    • @BoredErica
      @BoredErica Před 10 lety +10

      Because kids don't want to learn? Learning is fine and dandy but do we determine who knows more or less? By tests, so now we all have to go back to our notes and study like crazy. Life isn't perfect, if you can create a utopia society where everybody loves to learn and reach their full potential, go ahead, but I'll believe it when I see it.

  • @blackgenesisishere
    @blackgenesisishere Před 6 lety +323

    I'm a recovering meth and heroin addict, im 4 years clean in September 2018.

    • @Opeth1991
      @Opeth1991 Před 6 lety +8

      Timothy Cousineau great job!

    • @janita851
      @janita851 Před 4 lety +7

      WOW! Even two of these shitty super addictive substances -.- How did you do that?

    • @jesushernandez-gw2qj
      @jesushernandez-gw2qj Před 4 lety +7

      Congratulations man, you have my respect ✊

    • @puma4291
      @puma4291 Před 4 lety +3

      A bit late, but congratulations brother!

    • @DannyG1821
      @DannyG1821 Před 4 lety +1

      How’d you do it

  • @kiranicole2096
    @kiranicole2096 Před 3 lety +88

    I know this is several years old now, but I want to thank you for creating this.
    I was able to use this video for my intensive outpatient treatment, where an assignment I have is to watch videos related to addiction for analysis and discussion. It was very well made, easy to understand, and edited in such a way that summarizing its key points was almost done for me.
    You guys at SciShow are awesome. Please keep doing what you guys do, you are truly beneficial to thousands upon thousands of people.

  • @davidgoldenrose
    @davidgoldenrose Před 7 lety +791

    I knew someone addicted to the hokey pokey, but he turned himself around. And that's what it's all about

  • @narrator69
    @narrator69 Před 8 lety +258

    I've watched hours of lectures from some of the biggest names in addiction studies and got more out of this video then all of them, Thank You. I now have a better understanding of the meth addict I am forced to live with.

    • @tabletopjam4894
      @tabletopjam4894 Před 7 lety +13

      Ross Betts this channel shows that a straight forward and entertaining lecture works a lot more than a school-style lecture. Also proves that school isn't a place for smart people

    • @puffdaddy69
      @puffdaddy69 Před 7 lety +17

      "forced"? nobody is forced to do anything

    • @beakf1
      @beakf1 Před 7 lety +3

      room 4 one more?

    • @TheRorschachAble
      @TheRorschachAble Před 7 lety +2

      You don't know, actually.

    • @neotronextrem
      @neotronextrem Před 6 lety

      Booohooo, Im forced to live with a methaddict.

  • @sleepybutwoke670
    @sleepybutwoke670 Před 7 lety +19

    Made my way through gambling addiction, mental sex addiction, working out + preworkout supplement addiction, substance addiction (amphetamines), and video game addiction. I am narcoleptic and take Modafinil as treatment--- It has allowed me to recognize my addictive behaviors and realize that pleasure is no longer being received from my actions. I now have become very interested in neuroscience and I really enjoy your channel!

  • @eggsandbacon5686
    @eggsandbacon5686 Před 9 lety +196

    I have an addiction of watching CZcams videos instead of doing my homework

  • @SiMBol10
    @SiMBol10 Před 5 lety +42

    I love how hard it is to tell a brand new scishow to one from 2012 just consistent epic quality for years! As someone just getting into it I'm loving that there is SO MUCH to binge on. Hope someone from the team gets the chance to read this so I can say thank you!

  • @urltima
    @urltima Před 2 lety +11

    Learning about dopamine, the pleasure system, and the reward system separately from addiction has taught me more about my addictive personality than addiction documentaries or addiction exposes or anything else. Addiction is so deep, so so deep.

  • @aaronslater470
    @aaronslater470 Před 6 lety +15

    I appreciated the tone and serious nature of this video. As an addict, this is one of the best videos to watch on addiction I've ever seen.

  • @danielsiedschlag546
    @danielsiedschlag546 Před 10 lety +15

    Thanks for touching on the dangers of abruptly quitting alcohol after long-term usage. My dad suffered a seizure about 48 hours after stopping cold turkey from a week long binge. I didn't know what was happening at the time and only later after further research learned about the GABA system and the exact reason why he had that seizure. I wish I had seen this video beforehand.

  • @HungerGamesFan88
    @HungerGamesFan88 Před 9 lety +360

    So... first our brains name themselves, then they outsmart themselves.
    *mind blown*

    • @joventlk7300
      @joventlk7300 Před 8 lety

      Lol

    • @daleporter60
      @daleporter60 Před 8 lety +17

      +HungerGamesFan88 and then they come up with a term to describe their shock. Mind blown indeed.

    • @djayjp
      @djayjp Před 7 lety +2

      lol except they didn't outsmart them, hence the pathology of addiction to such substances.

    • @Howtheheckarehandleswit
      @Howtheheckarehandleswit Před 7 lety +8

      HungerGamesFan88 actually, first brains couldn't fathom there own existence, discovered themselves, named themselves, denied there own existence, then were like "wow I'm the most complicated thing I ever discovered" then built the internet, thought it just built something more complicated then itself, went like oh wait nope I'm still better, then the specific one writing this realized that by building a computer more complicated and powerful then itself would be like a computer building a more powerful computer and then I'm realizing that that would be insane.

    • @Inertia888
      @Inertia888 Před 6 lety

      WWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOEEEEE!!!

  • @alsswim
    @alsswim Před 2 lety +8

    As someone with an alcohol addiction I can tell you even though I’m now sober and have been for a while even the smell of alcohol hits all the receptors in my brain and gives me that feeling that I used to chase. It also gives me really bad cravings for more. Addiction is fascinating

  • @thomaslumsden5460
    @thomaslumsden5460 Před 9 lety +20

    Probably the most accurate factual presentation of addiction, I've seen. Well supported in the literature and consistent with findings. Thanks for not throwing in your own presumptuous theories and sticking to science. Great Job.

  • @SonicXRage
    @SonicXRage Před 4 lety +7

    "Nice move, BRAINS!"
    This is why Hank is my favorite SciShow host.

  • @richperez5556
    @richperez5556 Před 8 lety +23

    "Mo' synapses -- mo' problems."
    I love Hank.

    • @elijahloveraven5578
      @elijahloveraven5578 Před 2 lety

      but how does the space between the neurons cause more problems? That's what I don't get

  • @idontseeynot9
    @idontseeynot9 Před 10 lety +67

    Made me wanna quit smoking more than any truth commercial

    • @TheCherry1994
      @TheCherry1994 Před 9 lety +9

      Did you quit?

    • @idontseeynot9
      @idontseeynot9 Před 9 lety +2

      For 3 months, just to see if I really needed it like a heroine addict. I found the cravings don't entirely go away, but are drastically reduced. You go from always wanting one, to only wanting one once or twice a day. Maybe with more time no cravings ever? But idk. Ill permanently quit when I'm mature enough to do so

    • @KevinToppins
      @KevinToppins Před 9 lety +10

      Nicholas Santiago
      I pulled off 3 years of cold turkey from smoking when I 1.) got a lot of cardio exercise each day, and 2.) substituted the reward of smoking, for the enjoyment (reward) of vastly more awesome health.
      If you don't do the cardio, you won't get the awesome health reward, which your motivation to feel a reward pulls you back into smoking again.
      I of course fell back into smoking when I became addicted to adderall in college, but after finding some awesome supplements, I have gotten my brain up and running again, and all without adderall and smoking. Yay!

    • @idontseeynot9
      @idontseeynot9 Před 9 lety +9

      Kevin Toppins good shit kevin. I was able to pull off a little over 3 months cold turkey, and recently im about 4 days out. the only thing is I love to smoke but I don't want the hassle of wanting one all the time. Still on the fence if im gonna stop completely or not. I gotta say my breathing has imnproved and the urges are already starting to die down. we'll see

    • @christophermcgivney7149
      @christophermcgivney7149 Před 4 lety +2

      5 years later... did you quit?

  • @muertes333
    @muertes333 Před 8 lety +71

    can you make an episode about how lack of sex and social interaction affects the brain!

    • @Niom_Music
      @Niom_Music Před 8 lety +80

      Feels like you've already got the answers

    • @muertes333
      @muertes333 Před 8 lety +26

      Haha good one

  • @PostInquiry
    @PostInquiry Před 10 lety +3

    Thank you so much, Scishow staff & Mr. Green, for making awesome videos and making your references easily accessible

  • @psych4u339
    @psych4u339 Před 3 lety +6

    Great job organizing all of this data! When approaching addiction, it is so helpful to understand the biological/ chemical factors of what's going on with the person.

  • @thomasmann3560
    @thomasmann3560 Před 2 lety +3

    I love young Hank! It's always awesome seeing these old episodes of sci show. Great show bud!

  • @Technomancr
    @Technomancr Před 10 lety +18

    I'd love to see an episode that talked about less addictive drugs like LSD, MDMA, and DMT.

    • @xxaidanxxsniperz6404
      @xxaidanxxsniperz6404 Před 4 lety +6

      MDMA is addictive, but nowhere near alcohol. It can cause severe addiction but most people dont abuse MDMA.

    • @RK-ej1to
      @RK-ej1to Před 2 lety +1

      @@xxaidanxxsniperz6404 probably because it just straight up stops working. Meth is meth all the time, never done it on purpose but I can say for sure I do not understand how people enjoy it. My best theory so far is there’s just a bunch of people with undiagnosed ADHD and it just works for them……until they get addicted.

    • @sciencenate
      @sciencenate Před 2 lety +1

      Lol yeah one of those three does not belong

    • @ryankarlin9822
      @ryankarlin9822 Před rokem

      just replace MDMA with mushrooms and there ya go

  • @sorchar
    @sorchar Před 5 lety +5

    We watched this in my Addictions class and it was really pretty helpful in clarifying some stuff.

  • @sunvol4503
    @sunvol4503 Před 9 lety +106

    I do dope and when I get high I feel most comfortable watching your videos. Like you said "people who are addicted crave to go to that place again.". Well in my euphoric state, I enjoy learning if you believe that. I've probably watched every single one of your videos, getting high then listening to you teach me about the world all comfortable and fuzzy feeling in my bed. I really would like to quit doing heroin and this video opened my eyes to addiction a little more then it was already, so thanks for that and please wish me luck, I made a mistake in my life just like everyone else....I was just going to try it once to see how it feels....alright I'm rambling, your biggest fan :)

    • @ktburger659
      @ktburger659 Před 9 lety +18

      Best of luck! You can do it!

    • @sunvol4503
      @sunvol4503 Před 9 lety +10

      Thank you very much, I plan on going to the clinic to get help in the near future.

    • @sunvol4503
      @sunvol4503 Před 9 lety +11

      KML thank you for not judging me as well, I was just too stupid, I didn't really understand how something could make me physically addicted.... "Looking in the mirror, like I can't believe what I've become, I was going to be someone, and growing up everyone always does, we sell our dreams and our potentials to escape through that buzz to keep me up Hollywood here we come"

    • @ktburger659
      @ktburger659 Před 9 lety +15

      No judgment at all! Everyone makes mistakes in their lives, its how we choose to react to them that matters. Building ourselves up in response to our mistakes is how we learn and become even more awesome people. All the best to you!

    • @distrologic2925
      @distrologic2925 Před 9 lety +9

      ***** Try kratom :) its a plant ground up into disgusting powder, but i read that it was great for fighting addiction, especially from heroin, because it is an opiate itself.
      now you might ask yourself how taking drugs is going to help you quit drugs, but kratom is actually very easy to handle addiction-wise. it will get you through the rough times without really putting you in danger of getting a serious addiction again. I CAN NOT speak with experience here because i am not addicted to any kind of drug (exept for that one herb maybe).
      but when i used kratom it would make me feel euphoric, motivated, relaxed (physically and mentally), focused, sometimes it would even boost my creative flow when making music and most importantly to me, you dont feel like you are on drugs. you can go to work/school normally because your mind is not really affected by it and you can very easily supress the effects (meaning you can literally decide when you want to feel the effects).
      and even after a year of almost daily use (it is very easy to use everyday because you act like a perfectly normal person) i did not feel any addiction when i just stopped doing it because i could not effort it at that moment. now im not doing it anymore since a few months, but writing this really brought back memories and im sure going to order some again soon ^^. educate yourself about it online, and eventually try it out. definitely worth it imho.

  • @heatherlacy83
    @heatherlacy83 Před 10 lety +2

    I'm totally addicted to compulsively watch Scishow.... as much as possible, every single day!

  • @tr1ck321
    @tr1ck321 Před 7 lety +1

    Opiate and sex addict checking in. This video was extremely well done, teaching me more in a few minutes than I have learned in years prior, and I feel it has strengthened my minds ability to understand and overcome addiction. Thank you.

  • @IdaBrun
    @IdaBrun Před 8 lety +3

    This is just a great video. So informative and thorough. Loaded with dopamine inducing content.

  • @Inertia888
    @Inertia888 Před 5 lety +15

    When I first started experimenting with getting high I used to say, "I'm doing drugs." But after a few years of abuse I changed my phrase to, "The drugs are doing me." Even Though at the time I thought this was a cute or cool inverted way to express my lost eccentric teenage mind, and it is a popular enough saying to have found itself in the lyrics of at least one pop culture rock song that I can think of (Marilyn Manson in case you have to know), it was probably more than just a teenager repeating what they heard on the radio.
    In hindsight I see an addict expressing concern for himself, and subconsciously asking for help with his unforeseen long dark road of being manipulated by the very thing that he thought was his ticket to freedom.✨🌈🌊🤔🔍🚑😒
    In nutshell... if you ever hear a teenager, or anyone for that matter, claim that "the drugs are doing him" (or her) ... pay attention to it. They're most likely becoming addicted.

  • @ranelbennet3365
    @ranelbennet3365 Před 3 lety +1

    I am not sure if anyone will read this, but I am so thankful to have found this channel. I am actually learning!! Trying not to focus too much on the tragic fact that I am going in debt to "teachers" that do NOTHING but occasionally whine here or there. Thank you so much for creating this channel! College has me forgetting that I do enjoy learning!! The challenge is finding anyone to teach. Thank you Hank, you are awesome!! You are much appreciated :)

  • @Royin345
    @Royin345 Před 2 lety

    This has to be one of my favorite videos I’ve seen from this channel.

  • @angiesingh2010
    @angiesingh2010 Před 11 lety +3

    Hank...this is pure brilliant stuff well explained. Really interested in the science of food addiction, specifically eating disorders and look forward to more on this. Thanks!

  • @StevenWayneJones
    @StevenWayneJones Před 3 lety +4

    Really good video! I think if you broke down each addiction and talked about some of the specifics you can get a lot of use, a lot of people need help understanding these types of things, thank you

  • @nickjamesb2051
    @nickjamesb2051 Před 3 lety

    There is something special about the way you relay information my friend, a born lecturer I reckon.

  • @Alex-gn2rb
    @Alex-gn2rb Před 2 lety

    Addiction is such a misunderstood behaviour, everyone should watch and understand this video as we all will either directly or indirectly be in contact with some addiction or another. Brilliant video.

  • @Anirban456Mandal
    @Anirban456Mandal Před 10 lety +8

    Maaan, I am addicted to watching your videos!!

  • @karimsarif8934
    @karimsarif8934 Před 10 lety +137

    you should make a video on the "study drug" concerta/aderal/ritalin; might help a few people

    • @einsteinwallah2
      @einsteinwallah2 Před 10 lety

      this is good idea ... scishow should do one video on this ... please like Karim Sarif post if you agree

    • @Technomancr
      @Technomancr Před 10 lety +11

      I'd also like to see MDMA, LSD, and DMT.

    • @jonahjameson831
      @jonahjameson831 Před 10 lety +1

      Anthony Trupiano hippy

    • @karimsarif8934
      @karimsarif8934 Před 10 lety +5

      i thought DMT and MDMA were too much for hippies

    • @jonahjameson831
      @jonahjameson831 Před 10 lety

      too much?

  • @HawleysTarotForAll
    @HawleysTarotForAll Před 2 měsíci

    Im currently active in meth addiction, and the part of this video that Hank talks about meth makes me cry every time. It makes me feel hopeless for getting clean. But i am still determined. I just fear the period of time when my brain will have basically zero dopamine at all, and thus NOTHING will feel good, and motivation will be non-existent. I dont want to be a zombie. But if i dont get clean, i know eventually I'll get much worse, and if i do get clean, i have to first go through the phase i just mentioned. Basically i have no choice one way or the other, im going to be a zombie. But i know that one of those leads to life-long happiness after a brief zombie state, and the other option leads to miserable life and eventual death.

  • @bufferkiller
    @bufferkiller Před 7 lety

    This video is four years old today. Happy Birthday, The Chemistry of Addiction Video!

  • @shadowg3
    @shadowg3 Před 9 lety +23

    I love you brain, I'll try my best to not fuck you up

    • @BowlMasterAsh
      @BowlMasterAsh Před 8 lety +3

      +Franko XG Haha, for a second I thought you were telling a guy name Brian you'd try not to fuck him up :P

    • @shadowg3
      @shadowg3 Před 8 lety

      +BowlMasterAsh hahahaha

    • @GogiRegion
      @GogiRegion Před 6 lety +1

      (+Franko XG) Then don’t do heroin. I made that mistake once… and then again… and again… Sorry, what were we talking about? Heroin? 😌

  • @MK-dg6eq
    @MK-dg6eq Před 8 lety +103

    I'm addicted to SciShow

    • @starsaroundscars8017
      @starsaroundscars8017 Před 8 lety

      As am I.

    • @credocooperative
      @credocooperative Před 8 lety +1

      It's a drug

    • @esupton783
      @esupton783 Před 8 lety +5

      can you be addicted to knowledge? I think I am

    • @conniesblankpages3656
      @conniesblankpages3656 Před 8 lety +1

      haha that's something weird to say nowadays, is good to know that i'm no the only one that thinks like that.

    • @SproingBoing
      @SproingBoing Před 7 lety +3

      The first step is admitting you have a problem... I too am addicted to SciShow :

  • @clarestardust2618
    @clarestardust2618 Před 2 lety +1

    U didnt mention the physical sickness that is experienced when someone suffering with an opiate addiction experiences when they dont have the amount or heroin or morphine or codeine in their body that they need to function properly. Most heroin addicts dont use to get high, they use because they have to otherwise they are extremely sick and dont even get any 'high' off it. They need it just to live their lives 'normally'
    Thank you SciShow, I love your videos. I especially love your voice and the way you talk.

  • @hansdorschdk2
    @hansdorschdk2 Před 3 lety

    VERY fast talk...and VERY rewarding...almost addictive. Well done there

  • @TheClairenoel29
    @TheClairenoel29 Před 8 lety +4

    Thanks! I now know what causes me to check out your videos so often

  • @valerieangell7588
    @valerieangell7588 Před 4 lety +4

    I’m addicted to dopamine...it’s how I evolved,so quite trying to get me in a rehab!

  • @alisonhotvedt8589
    @alisonhotvedt8589 Před 6 lety +1

    You're my favorite scishow guy

  • @chrisbecke2793
    @chrisbecke2793 Před 2 lety +1

    Thanks CZcams for showing me Hank from 9 years ago. Something I didn’t know I needed.

  • @MajorPayne175
    @MajorPayne175 Před 3 lety +46

    Mo synapses, mo problems. Biggie would approve.

  • @UltimateTheZekrom
    @UltimateTheZekrom Před 10 lety +14

    Music, chocolate, and Internet are my addictions :)

  • @BrideofChrist222
    @BrideofChrist222 Před 7 lety +1

    Thanks for creating this video. I learned oodles of information that can be used for my school project.

  • @vishalkasture8492
    @vishalkasture8492 Před 5 lety +2

    Your video was of utter importance. earlier although I read, watched and listened various source and info contents, I could not understand them better as I have now.
    Kudos to you for your efforts and thanx for enlightening us
    Keep bringing more of such videos
    They are highly fascinating and addictive😉

  • @themurderofcoke
    @themurderofcoke Před 8 lety +5

    I would love to see a video on pure nicotine vs nicotine combusted in tobacco. Gonna have to wait a few years for more and more reliable research to come out on it but the initial studies have found that most of what we attribute to nicotine is caused by the combustion and extra chemicals added to cigarettes and not by the nicotine itself. Again it is new research and we need to wait for more but I think it would be an interesting topic to discuss.

  • @Lil_strawberryy
    @Lil_strawberryy Před 7 lety +4

    Where can I find someone like you in the real world? I could listen to you speak for days. Which is interesting because I hate listening to people

  • @jamminjoe44
    @jamminjoe44 Před 8 lety

    Bingo, anticipation is even a greater high then the reward itself! That hit home hard!!
    Awesome video!!

  • @reneeyounk9663
    @reneeyounk9663 Před 6 měsíci +1

    Aww, you're sooo young here! How's your health? Hope you are well. Thank you for years of interesting learning.

  • @frankmir1
    @frankmir1 Před 7 lety +18

    How about a show on Methadone / Suboxone (treatment) for addicts i think thay would be a good topic
    thanks and keep up the good work

    • @ramdalion
      @ramdalion Před 7 lety +3

      yes plz!
      i want to hear abbout this to from scishow

    • @xxaidanxxsniperz6404
      @xxaidanxxsniperz6404 Před 4 lety +2

      That is not a good way to quit opioids. You are switching from one drug to another. The withdrawals from methadone are worse than the withdrawals of heroin. There is no point of methadone, it is a terrible way to quit.

    • @XxXShevampXxX
      @XxXShevampXxX Před 3 lety

      @@xxaidanxxsniperz6404 Statistically, you are incorrect. MAT programs have a much higher success rate than abstinence only programs....and that's not even taking into account what it does as far as harm reduction goes. MAT is one of the most effective tools we have in our current addiction fighting arsenal. Methadone is actually one of the most studied drugs on the market and buprenorphine is proving itself to be just as effective, if not more so. You're entitled to your opinion of course but your opinion is not back by science.

    • @xxaidanxxsniperz6404
      @xxaidanxxsniperz6404 Před 3 lety

      @@XxXShevampXxX did you read the comment? The method is effective in helping one quit but methadone withdrawals by itself is enough to scare an addict back to harder pain killers. Have you experienced withdrawals? If not then you have no idea what you are promoting. It's reminiscent of giving benzodiazepines to alcoholics...

  • @saraabbas2413
    @saraabbas2413 Před 8 lety +4

    Question : Are piercings bad for your body? Like a ear or nose piercing?

  • @gtaylor5610
    @gtaylor5610 Před 7 lety

    these videos are so helpful for quick revision

  • @eosal60
    @eosal60 Před rokem

    Wow! Very informative video. Love all the addictions he brought up.

  • @TheOverlord99
    @TheOverlord99 Před 8 lety +55

    Mo synapses mo problems

  • @nothingtoseeherefolks6911
    @nothingtoseeherefolks6911 Před 4 lety +19

    I’m addicted to drinking. I can’t stop, or I feel like I’ll die.
    I drink water. That’s all.

  • @simontremblay3591
    @simontremblay3591 Před 2 lety

    Good job Hank, as always !

  • @digARRT
    @digARRT Před 9 lety

    Great work. Amazing source of useful information. Example of another addiction... learning new stuff

  • @ilovegod0106
    @ilovegod0106 Před 10 lety +12

    Could I be addicted to scishow?

  • @mathieua8811
    @mathieua8811 Před 9 lety +3

    I wish you mentionned if we can get back to normal balance level by stopping addictive behavior, and if yes, how long would it need and for which addiction it is possible and which it s too late.

    • @TheShorts5555
      @TheShorts5555 Před 9 lety

      Yeah, sure, any drug addiction with time. Shorter periods, even 'cold turkey' for 'light' drugs, and very careful 'stepping down' or substitution for harder drugs. I mean you don't want to die, you don't go cold turkey with heroin, but with nicotine, caffeine and THC, you can just stop without major side effects. Not that THC and Caffeine are renowned for powerful addiction, I mean I've used marijuana for several weeks in a row and just stopped, only feeling a little dissociated for a few days afterwards

    • @TurquoiseInk
      @TurquoiseInk Před 2 lety

      Depends in the person and the substance. Some people do casual use of weed and are fine. My ex literally is on weed so much it's around the clock. Only time he's without it is when he was travelling and couldn't get it. He'd go back to his true self then go right back to the weed tiddie as soon as he had access. His addiction was so heavy he had multiple strokes and didn't know until he almost died. Unwilling to stop, not compliant with the meds he needs, been in that state for years. Shame because he's a brilliant guy with many good qualities. I peaced out of that mess. It's Russian Roulette and want nothing to do with it

  • @patrickmcmanus5373
    @patrickmcmanus5373 Před 2 lety +2

    Thank you for the video.
    I am glad we know more about addiction. I was a heroin addict for 25 years with two years clean. Post addiction video would be great

    • @TurquoiseInk
      @TurquoiseInk Před 2 lety

      Congratulations on your recovery. God bless.

  • @theStarkArts
    @theStarkArts Před 9 lety

    You sir are an incredible teacher.

  • @tcp3059
    @tcp3059 Před 8 lety +6

    It appears I release dopamine when I watch educational videos. Nice.

    • @tcp3059
      @tcp3059 Před 7 lety

      +Dopamine997 perhaps

  • @daultonbaird6314
    @daultonbaird6314 Před 9 lety +14

    Baconchocolatecheesecake. Now I know what to bait my rat trap with.

    • @s4ujcd
      @s4ujcd Před 9 lety

      Daulton Baird Baconchocolatecheesecake (DROOOOOOOOOOLLL)

  • @davesbabe42able
    @davesbabe42able Před 6 lety

    This video was very helpful. Thank you very much!

  • @sanadbenali6993
    @sanadbenali6993 Před 5 lety

    always a pleasure great job

  • @Mazaroth
    @Mazaroth Před 8 lety +7

    Internet pretty much has made me tolerant to everything.
    Seriously, my 12 year old mind back in the 2004 couldnt handle things like gore, tentacle hentai and other nice internet activities, now they are normal part of my life.
    it's good to be jaded, even giving out this information does not trigger "Wait, why are you telling other people this?" reaction in my brain, it just doesn't give a fuck anymore about anything.

  • @bitchard215
    @bitchard215 Před 10 lety +31

    WE'RE ALL ADDICTS!!! AHHHHHHHH

  • @lonnieclemens8028
    @lonnieclemens8028 Před 9 lety

    Thank you for producing and sharing this video. It is very helpful to me.

  • @arielleexs
    @arielleexs Před 10 lety

    this show should have mooooree views! is awesome

  • @jamesjames9052
    @jamesjames9052 Před 8 lety +4

    hey sci show can u do a video on the addiction of self harm/mutilation

    • @CallMeXecutioner
      @CallMeXecutioner Před 8 lety

      Here's all you need: they do it for attention

    • @thedukeofweasels6870
      @thedukeofweasels6870 Před 8 lety

      +Matt Hudson I totally agree they should do an episode on it, it would really help reduce the stigma! like if they could actually show scientific information instead of focusing only on the emotional aspects! I also think it should have been at leas mentioned in this video! I think it should be considered a behavioral addiction!! It does use the same neural transmitters and hijacks the same system, plus you have the shock and pain activating endorphins which are your brains natural opioids!! people link it to psychological conditions but the truth is any addiction can be used as an unhealthy coping mechanism for these conditions!

    • @thedukeofweasels6870
      @thedukeofweasels6870 Před 8 lety +1

      +CallMeXecutioner And by trolling and trying to annoy people you're seeking attention so how are you any better? But okay I'll humor you.
      Who is this "they" you speak of and how do you know what their motivations are. do you know people that self-harm? are you a professional educated in this matter? Or are you just blindly repeating some meaningless mantra you heard out of pure ignorance?!?
      If by "they" you mean over dramatic whiny emo teens that talk about it constantly and post sad GIFs on Tumbler then you're probably right they're doing it for attention! But actual scientific research has proven that that is less than 1% of all of the people that suffer with this very real problem! You only see the ones that want attention because they're the most visible the overwhelming majority suffer in silence with too much shame to even admit they have a problem! It's ignorant assholes like you that stop people from getting help and recovering! do you know how many people end up dying because they'd rather kill themselves then face society's mental health stigma my getting help!

    • @CallMeXecutioner
      @CallMeXecutioner Před 8 lety

      +theduke ofweasels (Weasel) k

    • @xxaidanxxsniperz6404
      @xxaidanxxsniperz6404 Před 4 lety

      Self harm comes from an urge to reduce mental pain. It is similar to drugs because it releases neurotransmitters to reduce pain. The urge becomes stronger over time and that in itself is the most dangerous aspect of self harm

  • @NyxesRealms
    @NyxesRealms Před 10 lety +3

    "Six awesome courses in one awesome channel: John Green teaches you US History and Hank Green teaches you Chemistry." Crashcourse. John (this guy's brother) teaches history and this guy (Hank) teaches Chemistry. Welcome. :)

  • @DMcDRecovery
    @DMcDRecovery Před 11 lety

    Entertaining and engaging insight into the brain disease of addiction. Thanks!

  • @StardustAnlia
    @StardustAnlia Před 10 lety

    I saw it. I stand by it. An episode on caffiene, cigarettes, ADD medicine, and physical activity, and how they compete in terms of making one do their work ( and stop commenting on youtube videos) , would be a good thing.

  • @joshhummel1284
    @joshhummel1284 Před 8 lety +5

    We're addicted to synapses.

  • @AustinBoiiii
    @AustinBoiiii Před 8 lety +3

    Using such big words. But using the word mdma instead of ecstasy would have made this episode make more sense.

  • @thesmartgene
    @thesmartgene Před 8 lety

    Awesome episode. I'm hooked.

  • @monk607
    @monk607 Před 4 měsíci

    I have three years clean after starting my addiction at 13. I always wondered what the effect on my young brain was

  • @somethingsomething404
    @somethingsomething404 Před 7 lety +3

    This video seems kind of slow and sad, I know everyone knows someone who's had addiction issues but I get the feeling that this is closer to him than the average topic

  • @mikehillenbrand2559
    @mikehillenbrand2559 Před 9 lety +6

    MO' SYNAPSES MO PROBLEMS lmao

  • @catharinepizzarello4784

    Excellent! I learned so much!

  • @lesliejohnson2982
    @lesliejohnson2982 Před 8 lety +1

    This is awesome. Thank you SO much. Would it be possible to do a show about the differences between people who take things like opioid pain medicines but don't get addicted, (which does happen a lot) and those who take it and do get addicted? This would be especially helpful to me as I'm teaching a class on addiction vs. physical dependence and I'd LOVE to show it to my pharm students. Thanks!

  • @mksabourinable
    @mksabourinable Před 10 lety +13

    I'm curious about the science of weird cravings... Like pregnant women's cravings, or in my case every day cravings that make no sense and are random as all hell. (For example this morning I woke up craving hashbrowns with nutella - and this is something I've had for years so no I'm not pregnant)

    • @BoredErica
      @BoredErica Před 10 lety +1

      Yeah, that's interesting. I wonder why.

    • @LadyLahdeedah
      @LadyLahdeedah Před 10 lety +3

      There's a condition that causes people to crave strange things, including rocks, nails, and pickles in ice cream. There IS a video on it by SciShow but I can't quite recall what the condition was called. It's related, I believe, to deficiencies. Because pregnant women are spending so much nutrition keeping little baby Jimmy healthy, without a careful diet, she can become easily malnourished. So, sometimes, pregnant women crave strange things including pickles in ice cream. I think it's called pica. I can't really recall.

    • @mksabourinable
      @mksabourinable Před 10 lety

      Thank you very much, that makes sense actually, I already know I have an Iron defiency and potassium deficiency/low electrolytes, so maybe I have others too... Now I'm thinking back to the times I have weird cravings and they were mostly electrolyte and iron related, but the nutella hashbrowns I realized was that I had a dream where I was eating something similar and it tasted amazing lol
      Another random tidbit of knowledge I can share at random times :D

    • @mksabourinable
      @mksabourinable Před 10 lety

      My cravings aren't that crazy, I only crave food items, they are just weird and random. Once I had a mad craving for popcorn with mozza melted cheese on it, and had never heard of anyone doing that before... I dip my McDonalds fries into my hot fudge sundae... stuff like that

    • @BoredErica
      @BoredErica Před 10 lety

      Kate I don't think you're that weird. As far as I'm concerned, it's not doing you any harm... eating bricks isn't just a bad idea in terms of taste, it's a bad idea in terms of health. Eating popcorn with cheese (which I'm pretty sure is actually semi-common) or eating fudge sundae fries is just having a unique preference.
      I want to liken it to a fetish... not that your love for fudge fries is a fetish, I'm saying both are just atypical preferences. Then again, the diverse range of human sexual and human food preferences are both gnarly issues to fully understand, I think.

  • @tfoprincess
    @tfoprincess Před 10 lety +6

    QUESTION:!!!! Is that why my fingers can remember an entire piano song or is it another reason?
    It'd be cool if you made a video on that. I WANNA KNOW!

    • @kenandned
      @kenandned Před 9 lety +4

      I think that is just muscle memory. My violin teacher always says that if you play something enough times, your muscles will remember exactly how they're supposed to move.

    • @billybobjoetheprofessional3890
      @billybobjoetheprofessional3890 Před 5 lety

      Your fingers do not remember, it is your brain that remembers. It becomes an "automatic process", meaning you don't have to consciously think about doing it after enough time, it becomes something so well-wired in your brain that you can think of it as a program running inside your head. All you have to do with your conscious mind is "turn on the program", and then it runs automatically until the song is finished. If you mess up and you don't know the song very well yet, this system is fragile and it will collapse- meaning one mistake, and suddenly you forget how to play the whole rest of the song, and have to go back and run through the earlier part in your head before continuing. I play bass, so I know exactly what that feels like. Sometimes it feels like there are a bunch of mini-programs for the verses, and I sometimes might mess up by inserting the wrong mini-program and playing the wrong verse.
      Your muscles cannot remember anything. This "muscle-memory" is simply an expression, it is not meant to be taken literally.

    • @billybobjoetheprofessional3890
      @billybobjoetheprofessional3890 Před 5 lety

      @@kenandned yeah no muscle memory is just an expression

  • @MrNoBody114
    @MrNoBody114 Před 11 lety

    one the most addicting channels on youtube

  • @djayjp
    @djayjp Před 7 lety +1

    1:25 The limbic system is not the "reward centre" as it also involves things such as fear and emotional pain processing. The "centre" most often credited with producing reward related neurotransmitters is the nucleus accumbens (sp?), which I believe is a subset of the limbic system itself.

  • @TheZipzter
    @TheZipzter Před 10 lety +6

    mo' synapses, mo' problems XD

  • @AssistantLeaflet
    @AssistantLeaflet Před 8 lety +23

    Thank you good sir for not saying psychedelics cause addiction. they can but it's absolutely no where the same because psychedelics don't work the same way as most drugs. they aren't usually fun, more like intriguing and sometimes "spiritual" if you Would like to address it as such. people may form mental addictions to them But usually they already have some kind of mental folly that they are going through and they want to escape reality. but psychedelics can actually help in therapy for other much horrible addictions. such as with ibogaine having a huge success rate for stopping opiate addiction which absolutely sickens me how they aren't legalized as schedule II substances because all of them have a very pronounced helpful mental and medicinal effect on the brain. psilocybin mushrooms can actually cause neuro-genesis. like are you fucking kidding me!? why is society not utilizing these medicines? LSD can help with alcohol addiction as well as many others. and the creator of alcoholics anonymous wanted to put that as one of the steps for becoming a clean individual since it stirs up non bias views towards objective thoughts which ultimately gives you the knowledge and will to fucking do something! MDMA another psychedelic usually mixed with other chemicals in ecstasy actually can help with ptsd. screw the idiots ignoring the research. And no recreational psychedelics should not be a thing because they are medicines with a high chance of arrogance and to be used incorrectly. and many people in the street pass these helpful non toxic drugs with stupidly legal research chemicals that totally can kill you whilst no one has ever overdosed on an actual psychedelic except maybe ayahuasca but that's only because of the MAOI's present which, if you ingest the wrong food can be toxic to your body. preperations, time, a person to watch you if you need it, and a calm setting is all you need to have a helpful calm experience. just do the Damn research from actual scientists and not just give into publicity and scare tactics. they're lying just like they were lying with cannabis. There will always be people who know better.

    • @Themozartthug
      @Themozartthug Před 6 lety +5

      Gideon Lass always got one drug pusher lol

    • @billybobjoetheprofessional3890
      @billybobjoetheprofessional3890 Před 5 lety +3

      @@Themozartthug are you actually serious right now? For christ's sake, the man writes an essay and you just go "Oh, always one in a crowd". Bother to learn something before stereotyping people who actually know what on earth they're talking about. Jeez, man. Gotta love it when someone, whose full extent of knowledge on this is a youtube video and "drugs are bad", tries to tell someone with decades of scientific research behind them that they're just a drug-pusher. Exactly when did OP "push drugs"? Look at the facts, just because someone knows what they're talking about with drugs doesn't mean they're advocating that the reader use them. Being right doesn't make you a hippie drug-pusher. It makes you right. Unlike you.

    • @Alexandra4art
      @Alexandra4art Před 4 lety

      The 2018 Michael Pollan book, "How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence" is AMAZING. Highly recommend. I borrowed the audiobook from the library, and listening to him tell stories, historical and personal, is great.

    • @TurquoiseInk
      @TurquoiseInk Před 2 lety +1

      Ecstasy is not harmless, saw that up close and personal. Psychedelic research has been surprising and encouraging, I have changed my mind about them though personally I believe that they should be used in certain settings like therapeutics and not in others.

  • @NoelBellBlog
    @NoelBellBlog Před 9 lety

    Thank you, lots of very useful information on addiction.

  • @DnbDubJunkie
    @DnbDubJunkie Před 11 lety

    Very informative video. Thanks.

  • @joshuasusanto8008
    @joshuasusanto8008 Před 8 lety +3

    i barely open my email, untill i acually forget the password

  • @distrologic2925
    @distrologic2925 Před 9 lety +58

    THIS is what we actually need. education instead of prohibition. This might be an unpopular opinion, but i think EVERY drug should be legal. Exactly. you should be able to go to the pharmacy, educate yourself about what that drug will do to you (including risks and effects etc.) and maybe complete a few surveys to make sure you are really certain that you want to do this drug. Why?
    1. this would destroy the whole black market of drugs and would make every consumer safer because of better quality products. people would get in contact with actual crime much less and the money criminals are making right now, would go into the governments pockets.
    2. after all, it is every persons individual decision if they want to do this to their life (*cough* freedom..*cough*...anyone?). its not like it would affect YOU if I did meth or something. also: would you do heroin as soon as it was legalized? i wouldnt either, but the people who would, are already doing it (a child could get any drug if it wanted to, its not like the police can act fast enough to prevent that. dealers are everywhere.)
    with these new laws consumers were putting themselves in less risk and if they got trouble with that drug they could more easily get help.
    so what do you think about this whole idea?

    • @AnarchistMetalhead
      @AnarchistMetalhead Před 9 lety +1

      yes, your arguments are correct, but the incentives to get there are missing
      the issue is that the link between demanding prohibitions and restrictions and the inevitable results of having to expend ressources to enforce them are broken by the state
      simpler said, if those demanding a prohibition were the ones solely responsible for paying for its enforcement most of them would stop demanding it

    • @TardyMoments
      @TardyMoments Před 9 lety +7

      I agree with everything you say here, however there will alway be a black market for drugs, they would just become cheaper than the government controlled ones, and new drugs, or should I say "research chemicals" are made every day, would be impossible for the government to control it. Although I do reckon they should make the main drugs legal, and pure and taxed :)

    • @AnarchistMetalhead
      @AnarchistMetalhead Před 9 lety +3

      Matt Hartley great point on permissionless innovation!
      anyways, why would you want drugs to get taxed?
      do you really want to allow an institution that is based on, and relies on violent coercion for all its actions to get funded even more?
      once the tax is there, i understand you have no choice as it will be demanded from you under threat of state force, but why advocate for there being a tax on it in the first place?

    • @z121231211
      @z121231211 Před 9 lety +5

      I don't think every drug should be legal. There's a pretty good reason to keep VX and Sarin out of the hands of common people. Though I believe addictiveness shouldn't be a reason as long as the consumer right to knowing exactly what they're buying is protected.
      But I guess a good argument for them being illegal is that they're a dead end to human achievement. Why would you spend months or years working on something then feel great about it at the end when you could buy something that will give you the same feeling right now? Life is already filled with instant gratification and drugs are the end point of that track.
      Though looking at alcohol there's plenty of addicts, many more moderate users, and even more who abstain from it completely. And alcohol's completely legal. If all drugs were as legal as alcohol I'm pretty sure it'd be the same. I just don't like the idea of limiting the freedoms of everyone to protect a few from destroying themselves, especially when the substance in question is knowingly willingly self-administered.

    • @picis735248798
      @picis735248798 Před 9 lety

      That's silly think about it more, it would affect you a lot, the less horrible drugs affect you lot, you don't want to legalize heroin for example, and how can you count on intelligence of people, majority of them would die..

  • @joshualorenzo4942
    @joshualorenzo4942 Před 11 lety

    I was just thinking about doing some research on addiction because I believe I'm an addict to. This helped a lot with the research & also helped me realize that I am addicted to watching movies & videos online.

  • @cherylmaley6352
    @cherylmaley6352 Před 10 lety +1

    Hello, my name is Cheryl. I'm addicted to You Tube!!! I love this channel