Opiate Rehabilitation in Punjab: Fighting Fire with Fire

In Punjab, the crisis of opioid addiction has spiralled into an epidemic, engulfing many lives and families in its destructive cycle.

- DAANISH GILL

While the battle against addiction is complex, involving social, economic, and psychological factors, the root of the problem lies in understanding how these drugs interact with the brain and body.

Addiction to opioids doesn't just happen overnight, but once established, it transforms the very nature of pleasure, making recovery a long and painful journey. In a state where addiction is rampant, breaking free requires a deep understanding of the science behind addiction and the tools available for recovery.

As neuroscientist Andrew Huberman aptly puts it, addiction is "the narrowing down of the things that give us pleasure." Initially, opioids offer what seems like a shortcut to pleasure—an overwhelming flood of dopamine, the neurotransmitter responsible for feelings of reward. However, there's no such thing as free dopamine, just as there's no such thing as a free lunch. The initial rush of pleasure comes at a steep cost, leaving the brain's reward system dulled and dependent on these substances to feel anything close to normal. That is the very definition of addiction.

To understand why opioids are so powerful, it's essential to examine how they mimic the brain's natural painkillers—endorphins. Like a key fitting into a lock, endorphins bind to pain receptors in neurons (The basic building blocks of the Brain, Spinal Cord and Nervous system), inhibiting the transmission of pain signals and offering a natural sense of relief. Opioids, being chemically similar to endorphins, bind to these same receptors. The difference, however, is that while endorphins are released in moderation, opioids flood the system, overwhelming the brain's natural balance. Over time, this alters the brain's structure and function, causing it to crave more of the drug while losing interest in everything else that once brought pleasure.