This Is What Happens to Your Brain on Opioids | Short Film Showcase

this is Susan Susan loves to bike while

this is Susan Susan loves to bike while out for a ride she falls and breaks her

out for a ride she falls and breaks her

out for a ride she falls and breaks her arms special cells called neurons send a

arms special cells called neurons send a

arms special cells called neurons send a signal through the spinal cord to the

signal through the spinal cord to the

signal through the spinal cord to the brain which interprets the signal as

brain which interprets the signal as

brain which interprets the signal as pain

pain

pain Susan understands the pain means she

Susan understands the pain means she

Susan understands the pain means she needs to go to the hospital and her body

needs to go to the hospital and her body

needs to go to the hospital and her body is equipped for survival helping her not

is equipped for survival helping her not

is equipped for survival helping her not to panic so she can seek help

to panic so she can seek help

to panic so she can seek help many of her neurons are covered in

many of her neurons are covered in

many of her neurons are covered in proteins called opioid receptors these

proteins called opioid receptors these

proteins called opioid receptors these receptors act like a brake to slow down

receptors act like a brake to slow down

receptors act like a brake to slow down the neurons ability to send pain signals

the neurons ability to send pain signals

the neurons ability to send pain signals when injured her body releases natural

when injured her body releases natural

when injured her body releases natural painkillers called endorphins like a key

painkillers called endorphins like a key

painkillers called endorphins like a key in a lock endorphins activate opioid

in a lock endorphins activate opioid

in a lock endorphins activate opioid receptors slowing down the pain signal

receptors slowing down the pain signal

receptors slowing down the pain signal and preventing a panic Susan gets

and preventing a panic Susan gets

and preventing a panic Susan gets treated for the broken bone but three

treated for the broken bone but three

treated for the broken bone but three months later her arm still hurts and now

months later her arm still hurts and now

months later her arm still hurts and now that pain is making her feel depressed

that pain is making her feel depressed

that pain is making her feel depressed and anxious so her doctor prescribes an

and anxious so her doctor prescribes an

and anxious so her doctor prescribes an opioid painkiller there are many

opioid painkiller there are many

opioid painkiller there are many different opioids but they all share a

different opioids but they all share a

different opioids but they all share a chemical similarity to our own

chemical similarity to our own

chemical similarity to our own endorphins this allows them to bind to

endorphins this allows them to bind to

endorphins this allows them to bind to the same opioid receptors and stop pain

the same opioid receptors and stop pain

the same opioid receptors and stop pain signals but that’s not all they do

signals but that’s not all they do

signals but that’s not all they do deep inside Susan’s brain is a region

deep inside Susan’s brain is a region

deep inside Susan’s brain is a region called the ventral tegmental area or VTA

called the ventral tegmental area or VTA

called the ventral tegmental area or VTA for short the VTA is full of neurons

for short the VTA is full of neurons

for short the VTA is full of neurons that produce a chemical called dopamine

that produce a chemical called dopamine

that produce a chemical called dopamine when something good happens dopamine is

when something good happens dopamine is

when something good happens dopamine is released giving Susan Afilias pleasure

this helps teach her brain to keep

this helps teach her brain to keep seeking out good things to keep dopamine

seeking out good things to keep dopamine

seeking out good things to keep dopamine neurons in check inhibitory neurons keep

neurons in check inhibitory neurons keep

neurons in check inhibitory neurons keep the brakes on until something good comes

the brakes on until something good comes

the brakes on until something good comes along just like the payment on these

along just like the payment on these

along just like the payment on these neurons are covered in opioid receptors

neurons are covered in opioid receptors

neurons are covered in opioid receptors when Susan takes the painkiller

when Susan takes the painkiller

when Susan takes the painkiller prescribed by her doctor the opioid

prescribed by her doctor the opioid

prescribed by her doctor the opioid receptors turn off the inhibitory

receptors turn off the inhibitory

receptors turn off the inhibitory neurons and completes the break on the

neurons and completes the break on the

neurons and completes the break on the dopamine the rush of dopamine

dopamine the rush of dopamine

dopamine the rush of dopamine temporarily eliminates Susan’s

temporarily eliminates Susan’s

temporarily eliminates Susan’s depression and anxiety and she feels

depression and anxiety and she feels

depression and anxiety and she feels relief calmness and even euphoria as

relief calmness and even euphoria as

relief calmness and even euphoria as Susan continues to take the painkillers

Susan continues to take the painkillers

Susan continues to take the painkillers her brain responds by trying to regain

her brain responds by trying to regain

her brain responds by trying to regain its balance her inhibitory neurons work

its balance her inhibitory neurons work

its balance her inhibitory neurons work extra hard even though fluid centers are

extra hard even though fluid centers are

extra hard even though fluid centers are activated and it becomes harder and

activated and it becomes harder and

activated and it becomes harder and harder for her dopamine neurons to

harder for her dopamine neurons to

harder for her dopamine neurons to release dopamine Susan finds that she

release dopamine Susan finds that she

release dopamine Susan finds that she needs to increase her dose of

needs to increase her dose of

needs to increase her dose of painkillers in order to feel comfortable

painkillers in order to feel comfortable

painkillers in order to feel comfortable this is called tolerance eventually

this is called tolerance eventually

this is called tolerance eventually Susan’s pills run out inhibitory neurons

Susan’s pills run out inhibitory neurons

Susan’s pills run out inhibitory neurons that have been working over loops

that have been working over loops

that have been working over loops clamping down on the dopamine neurons

clamping down on the dopamine neurons

clamping down on the dopamine neurons and shutting them out almost completely

and shutting them out almost completely

and shutting them out almost completely now not only is Susan in pain but the

now not only is Susan in pain but the

now not only is Susan in pain but the depression and anxiety come back on top

depression and anxiety come back on top

depression and anxiety come back on top of that Susan feels ravaged by an

of that Susan feels ravaged by an

of that Susan feels ravaged by an inescapable physical sickness far worse

inescapable physical sickness far worse

inescapable physical sickness far worse than any flu Susan’s body is going

than any flu Susan’s body is going

than any flu Susan’s body is going through withdrawal most people who take

through withdrawal most people who take

through withdrawal most people who take opioids for a long time tend to

opioids for a long time tend to

opioids for a long time tend to experience some withdrawal but they can

experience some withdrawal but they can

experience some withdrawal but they can still stop taking the pills in return to

still stop taking the pills in return to

still stop taking the pills in return to normal but for people like Susan it’s

normal but for people like Susan it’s

normal but for people like Susan it’s not so easy for genetics in the

not so easy for genetics in the

not so easy for genetics in the environment she grew up in put her at a

environment she grew up in put her at a

environment she grew up in put her at a higher risk for addiction her withdrawal

higher risk for addiction her withdrawal

higher risk for addiction her withdrawal symptoms aren’t just unpleasant

symptoms aren’t just unpleasant

symptoms aren’t just unpleasant they’re unbearable

they’re unbearable

they’re unbearable Susan thinks the only way to feel normal

Susan thinks the only way to feel normal

Susan thinks the only way to feel normal is to find more opioids and this is how

is to find more opioids and this is how

is to find more opioids and this is how the cycle of opioid addiction emerges

the cycle of opioid addiction emerges

the cycle of opioid addiction emerges driven by a brain trying to regain his

driven by a brain trying to regain his

driven by a brain trying to regain his balance but there is hope for Susan

balance but there is hope for Susan

balance but there is hope for Susan though the road to recovery can be

though the road to recovery can be

though the road to recovery can be challenging and there may be setbacks

challenging and there may be setbacks

challenging and there may be setbacks treatments can retrain Susan’s brain

treatments can retrain Susan’s brain

treatments can retrain Susan’s brain with the help of medication and therapy

with the help of medication and therapy

with the help of medication and therapy Susan finds pleasure in her life once

Susan finds pleasure in her life once

Susan finds pleasure in her life once again