How Addiction Hijacks the Brain: The 4 C’s You Need to Know | Doctor Explains скачать в хорошем качестве

How Addiction Hijacks the Brain: The 4 C’s You Need to Know | Doctor Explains

What actually defines addiction — and why is it so hard to stop, even when the consequences are severe? In this episode, we break down the 4 C’s of addiction, a widely used clinical framework that explains how addiction hijacks the brain and removes conscious control. Find mental health and addiction treatment near you: https://recovery.com/ The four C’s — compulsion, cravings, continued use despite negative consequences, and loss of control — help explain why addiction is not about willpower or bad choices. Compulsion means a person is no longer in the driver’s seat; behaviors happen automatically, driven by altered brain circuitry. Cravings come from a dysregulated dopamine system, where the brain demands more of a substance or behavior just to feel “normal.” This conversation also explores why people continue using substances even when they clearly understand the harm. The reward system becomes so dominant that logic, insight, and intention are no longer enough to override it. As the prefrontal cortex goes “offline,” emotional and reward centers take over, reinforcing the cycle again and again. By understanding addiction through a neuroscience lens, we can move away from blame and toward effective treatment, compassion, and recovery. Whether the addiction involves substances, gambling, food, or other compulsive behaviors, these same brain mechanisms are often at play. If you or someone you love struggles with addiction, this video offers clarity, language, and science-backed insight that can change how you view recovery. Subscribe for more expert-led mental health conversations, share this episode to reduce stigma, and join the discussion in the comments. ⏱️ Chapters: 00:00 – What are the 4 C’s of addiction? 00:18 – Compulsion: losing the driver’s seat 00:40 – How the brain short-circuits behavior 01:00 – Cravings and the dopamine system 01:30 – Why cravings feel physical and urgent 01:50 – Continuing despite negative consequences 02:10 – Loss of control and inability to stop 02:30 – The reward pathway vs the prefrontal cortex 02:55 – Why addiction isn’t about willpower ❓ Questions the Video Answers: What are the 4 C’s of addiction? What does compulsion mean in addiction? Why do people act without thinking when addicted? What causes cravings in the brain? How does dopamine drive addictive behavior? Why do people keep using despite consequences? What does loss of control really mean? Can addiction affect behaviors beyond drugs and alcohol? Why can’t logic override addiction? How does addiction shut down the prefrontal cortex? Is addiction a brain disease? Why is stopping so difficult even when someone wants to? How does neuroscience explain relapse? #addictioneducation #sober #addiction