How Addiction Hijacks the Brain

Gr 7 Up—The information here is ably supported by experts, but it's the recovering teens who steal the show. Emily completely nails the feeling that accompanies an alcoholic's first drink when she describes a burning so powerful and so good that you chase it every time you drink but never find it again. Max, a recovering heroin addict, comes in a close second when he recalls how quickly the high evaporates, leaving the user with nothing but a desperate attempt to avoid feeling awful. They and several other articulate teens reveal their personal experiences before and after entering recovery. The clinical information and facts are emphasized by excellent computer graphics depicting how different parts of the developing brain respond and change when drugs and alcohol are used. There are some eye-opening facts: marijuana use before age 18 can lower IQ, but the same isn't true after that age, and the prefrontal cortex, where the ability to conceptualize future consequences isn't fully formed until the early twenties, is a key reason for teen impulsivity.