Neurologically speaking, dopamine and serotonin are two of the primary NeuroTransmitters. Really Neuro-Psychology is a complex game, involving many potential variables and interactive mechanisms. Nonetheless, I am writing this to provide some basic NeuroLogical structure to this common knowledge of the brain, and the nervous system.

Now, let us explore the repetition of habit vs. novelty, and our pursuit and avoidance of each. These basic principles would hold true in both spatial and temporal dimensions. Dopamine, Dopa, sets off our projected fulfillment mechanisms. Based on past conditioning, we create an 'object' or 'process' to associate with the essential want or need that we feel. When we see a girl who we find attractive, we begin getting excited. We have been conditioned to be attracted to this 'object', or 'process,' and the dopamine starts going off when it is perceived as being possible.

Now, Serotonin is designed to associate with actual experiences of pleasure. When you are actually being fulfilled in your desires, the serotonin starts flowing. Now, you may perceive something you desire, and start using up some Dopamine. But if you are not being fulfilled, not getting that Serotonin kick, you're gonna trend towards what they call 'novelty addiction.' Novelty is basically good, it is only 'bad' when we cannot be fulfilled in our desires. Thus the push is to deny our desires, rather than increase the potential for fulfilling those desires. This is where we go wrong as a society. And, looking at these basic principles of Neuro-Psychology, we can describe its process and reasoning intelligently and specifically.

Interesting OP - I'm keen to understand the release of these chemicals and how they affect addiction . For example, with cigarettes : if someone anticipates the pleasure will Dopa be produced and then by actually fulfilling it the Seratonin flows after ? Or do addicts assume the pleasure ?

I seem to remember a Doctor simplistically explaining the process of 'Zyban' (the quit smoking tablets) where he said 'it basically shuts down the pleasure side of the brain ' assuming this is true , Seratonin is no longer produced and the feeling of satisfaction therefore not achieved , thereby rendering the act itself of smoking pointless ? I should add the Doctor was keen to stress that not all pleasure would be shut down - somehow this drug was allegedly able to hone in only on the cigarette/pleasure aspect.

Hope I'm not off topic here OP , thanks for any further insight in advance .

Originally posted by slidingdoor
Interesting OP - I'm keen to understand the release of these chemicals and how they affect addiction . For example, with cigarettes : if someone anticipates the pleasure will Dopa be produced and then by actually fulfilling it the Seratonin flows after ? Or do addicts assume the pleasure ?

I seem to remember a Doctor simplistically explaining the process of 'Zyban' (the quit smoking tablets) where he said 'it basically shuts down the pleasure side of the brain ' assuming this is true , Seratonin is no longer produced and the feeling of satisfaction therefore not achieved , thereby rendering the act itself of smoking pointless ? I should add the Doctor was keen to stress that not all pleasure would be shut down - somehow this drug was allegedly able to hone in only on the cigarette/pleasure aspect.

Hope I'm not off topic here OP , thanks for any further insight in advance .

Drugs, chemicals, and addiction would all be totally relevant to what I am discussing in OP. With a tobacco/nicotine addiction, the cigarettes become your associated object of fulfillment. Thus you associate that pleasure of the serotonin with the object of smoking. So yes, theoretically if you could suspend serotonin release, the actual fulfillment would not occur. There still may be a mental desire to do it, due to the Dopamine Association, but strictly speaking it would not chemically satisfy you. Thus the key to taking control of all such matters is learning to intelligently work with the neuro-chemical design of the brain.

*duplicate post*

it is true that those things increase dopamine to one degree or another. But so does playing video games, or eating tasty food or sex, or pretty much anything pleasurable. And that's why all of these things can be addictive. Or at least, it' s a big part of the puzzle. Some chemicals release a lot more dopamine than others. The action of something like ethanol or cannabis is much more complicated than their minor influence on dopamine. On the other hand, drugs like adderall or ritalin have a very large impact on dopamine, releasing or inhibiting reuptake, respectively.

Certain other drugs I can't discuss (think hippies and ravers) heavily influence the serotonergic system. Too much serotonin and you not only feel really awesome, but you also "hallucinate." Of course, too much serotonin beyond that can result in "serotonin syndrome" which is not fun, and a somewhat rare condition. You pretty much have to take the wrong combination of things to suffer that. Of course, too much dopamine can potentially lead to or increase chances of psychosis, as well.

This quote helped me understand some things, using more standard terminology