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How dependence is formed at the neuronal level
Addiction is not a "weak will," but a retraining of neural networks, where signals of reward and significance rewrite the priorities of the brain. The process is common for substances and behavioral addictions (for example, gambling): three phases - search/" euphoria → "deficiency/stress → obsessive anticipation - are fixed synaptically and behaviorally. Below is what happens "in the transaction."
1) Cycle start: prediction error and "significance"
The dopamine system (VTA → nucleus accumbens) encodes a reward prediction error (RPE): better expectation - a surge, worse - a decline.
In games/substance, unpredictability creates frequent RPE sparks, accelerating learning to pay attention.
Incentive salience is formed - "the significance of the stimulus": not just "nice," but "I want/go there now." This flag is glued to the cues: screen, sound, place, people.
Conclusion: the brain marks triggers as super important and launches a search even without real benefit.
2) Synaptic plasticity: how "curiosity" becomes a trace
Glutamate synapses intensify at the inputs to the accumence: the contribution of AMPA relative to NMDA (LTP-like changes) increases.
Some of the paths experience depression (LTD) - the system reconfigures the scales to turn on the desired reaction faster.
Transcriptional tags (eg, Δ FosB, CREB) stabilize changes for weeks/months → the "trail" lasts a long time.
In parallel, the connection between the hippocampus/amygdala → the accumen is strengthened: context and emotion (memory "where/when" and "how it felt") become triggers.
Conclusion: repetition of experience cements the network "prompt → desire → action."
3) Contouring: From goal to habit
Early behavior is controlled by the ventral striatum (value and expectation).
With repetitions, control shifts to the dorsal striatum (contour of habits): actions are triggered automatically by the trigger, less dependent on the outcome.
D1 and D2 neurons (direct/indirect pathways) balance "on/off" action; when constrained, the weight shifts to "start."
Sign: a person says "I do by inertia," even when "I don't want to."
4) "Hypofrontality": control weakens
The prefrontal cortex (DLPFC, vmPFC) - planning and inhibition - receives less influence on the "engines" of behavior.
Stress, lack of sleep, emotional arousal reduce the inhibitory power of the PFC → impulses break through more easily.
Insula (interoception) enhances the feeling of "need now," especially against the background of near-miss and emotional memories.
Conclusion: the "steering wheel" of rational control loses traction, especially in trigger contexts.
5) Allostasis and stress: why "minus" pulls to "plus"
Frequent stimulation shifts the reward system: the background is inhibited, and for the "norm" you need external feeding - allostatic load.
The stress hormone axis (norepinephrine/cortisol) becomes reactive; anxiety/discomfort is growing in the "minus."
Behavior goes from "get plus" to "avoid minus" (negative renewal): not for pleasure, but to remove rejection.
Conclusion: the cycle is self-sustaining: stress → search for a stimulus → brief relief → more stress.
6) Return "warmongers": clues and sensorics
Triggers (places, sounds, banners, people, time of day) cause dopamine peaks of expectation without outcome → craving.
Sensor amplifiers (light, sound, vibration, fast pace) increase excitation, lowering the threshold for action.
Gambling adds variable reinforcement (VR) and almost-winning - powerful learning stimuli.
Conclusion: prompt → action networks shoot like a reflex.
7) Cognitive distortions - software "bugs" from above
Gumbler error (after a series of failures "should be lucky"), illusion of control, "hot hand," chase of losses.
These errors amplify dopamine signals of "significance," accelerating the cycle "again."
8) Why "just willpower" rarely works
"Will" = PFC control + working memory. When the prompt → action network is already synaptically enhanced and the PFC is suppressed by stress/fatigue, local inhibitions are weak.
Structural changes in the environment and routines are needed to reduce the likelihood of hook release.
9) Countermeasures: How to retrain the net (player)
Trigger management
Remove/freeze tips: notifications, hot chats, quick access to the application (hide/remove, limit payment).
Enter quiet hours.
Control rituals (minutes)
Start card: "Today is 20 minutes, budget € X. The goal is entertainment. Stop-loss X / Stop-win Y».
Pause scan (every 15-30 minutes): "Is there an impulse to catch up? Fatigue? If so, stop."
Stop note: time, ± sum, emotion 1-10. In case of alarm - a pause of 24 hours, a decrease in limits.
RG Tools
Deposit/loss/time limits in 1-2 clicks; time-out/self-exclusion; activity history; quiet hours.
Wednesday
Play only after business, not at night; no alcohol/severe stress; one screen, one target.
Customer support
Contract with a loved one ("if I break the framework - a pause of 7 days"), groups/specialists. Help is a skill, not a weakness.
10) Design without overheating (for operators)
Fair rules: Visible mouthguards (e.g. 200 points/hour, reset at 00:00), clear tiebreakers.
Anti-grind: OR-goals, timeboxes 15-20 min + "breathing windows" without penalty.
Moderate touch: near-miss without "winning" sound/light; informer "why it's not a win."
RG default: quick limits/pause, suppression promo on pause/self-exclusion, quiet hours.
Health metrics: share of players with limits, time-out frequency, complaints/1k, share of "overheated" patterns, Retention L30 (with limits vs without).
11) Self-test (if ≥3 - pause and lower limits)
Playing longer/more often than I intended- There is a "dogon" after losses
- Hiding amounts/time from loved ones
- I miss sleep/business because of the game
- Annoyed/tense without playing, "pulls" at the sight of triggers
12) 7-day plan for flashing
Day 1: Turn off notifications/make it easier to exit, turn on limits and timer.
Day 2:1 session 20 min, diary 3 lines.
Day 3: Non-playing day, physical activity/sleep.
Day 4: test of OR-goals, pause-scan, without "dogon."
Day 5: contract with a loved one, general report.
Day 6: List of triggers and how to get around them.
Day 7: review: what worked → fix, lower limits for anxiety.
13) Short FAQ
Can I "rewrite" the habit?
Yes: reduce meetings with triggers, consistently apply rituals/limits, add alternative rewards (sleep, movement, communication) - over time, synaptic "paths" will weaken.
Why is "almost-winning" so catchy?
This is a positive RPE spark without reward, marking the situation as "promising." Call it right: "losing like winning."
How to understand that it's time to see a specialist?
Violation of limits, debts/conflicts, problems with sleep/work, repeated breakdowns - this is a reason to seek professional help.
14) The bottom line
Dependence is formed when prediction errors multiply the "significance" of stimuli, synapses are rearranged, control shifts from the "goal" network to habit, and stress fixes the cycle. Opposition is in the structure of the environment and rituals: remove triggers, set limits and timeboxes, strengthen sleep and support, use honest design. So "wiring" learns in a new way - in favor of awareness and stability.