Question: Why do you think drugs change peoples behaviour

Emma Cahill answered on 15 Nov 2013:

Hi Chloe, Drugs like alcohol or cocaine are chemicals that take advantage of our brains. Normally when something nice happens, brain cells transmit signals to eachother using chemical messangers called neurotransmitters. The neurotransmitter that is released after a good experience is called Dopamine. Drugs of abuse, each in their own way, increase the amount of Dopamine that is bathing the brain. The quantity is higher with drugs than with other positive things, like choclate for example. Dopamine is important for training the brain to find the source of “pleasure” again, so thats why people feel the urge eventually to do it again. Drugs also act on other neurotransmitters that are related to Dopamine. The neurotransmitter Serotonin generates the feeling of confidence people get from drugs. Another one is Adrenaline (or epinephrine in the US), you might have heard of this one? this is important also for the sense of energy.
These three neurotransmitters (Dopamine, Serotonin and Adrenaline) are all called Monoamines (because of their chemistry) and drugs mimick or increase their activity in the brain, and when the brain’s chemistry is changed so will the persons behaviour.
If any bit is unclear do ask me again! Thanks