Chemical and Other Dependencies and Substance Use Disorder

Welcome! Let’s talk about the brain. More specifically, let’s talk about what happens when the most powerful, beautifully complex computer in the universe—the human brain—gets its fundamental reward circuitry hijacked.

When we talk about substance use and dependency, we are not talking about a lack of willpower. We are talking about neurobiology. If you want to be an extraordinary nurse, you have to understand the mechanisms of addiction, the lethal dangers of withdrawal, and the profound psychology of recovery.

Let's dive right in.