Joy dances in the brain

Where ends the enjoyment, where the Addiction begins? The ratio of people to noise shows: What makes fun, usually has a destructive side.

By Sebastian Herrmann Sebastian Herrmann

Sebastian Herrmann, Born in 1974, studied political science, history and psychology in Munich and Edinburgh. Since 2005, he is Know an editor in the Department, where he works as a chief of service and, above all, on topics from the psychology writes. A second focus of stories around the Bicycle. At the same time he writes books. The last use of it is to published "instructions for the Bicycle".

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The taste? Intense, spicy, sweet; a delicious mixture of all the notes of wood, incense and pine the receptors to vibrate. Hints of citrus fruit mix in this flavor Symphony. A small firm, a large pleasure - one that would always treat the provider of this noise promises to be by means of. Behind this tasting poetry of neither wine nor Whisky or other alcohol, however, the lover of your Kennerbohei host. What is being touted as a pure experience of pleasure, is a potent Cannabis strain that is a, which acts according to the description of the seed provider rather "cerebral instead of physically," and the consumer will help lead to exciting debates. For real now, or have you just smoked a lot of weed?

leaves For Cannabis in many countries in the dark corners of the Illegal, the scene, the question is: How to apply our product, this is still a drug? The pleasure-Rail, so one answer is, because what works for alcohol, that should work for a different drug. The game with the fire to succeed so much easier when you have an effective strategy of self-justification. And here are the tasting poetry comes back into the game, which can serve as a justification. The logic behind it: "I'm not a pothead, but a connoisseur."

"I am not an alcoholic, I drink only good wine" - if one says the...

At the same time, the flavors crush of Cannabis throws suppliers and wine on the prophet a question: Where does enjoyment of where to start Looking? The boundaries are hard to define - and not everyone is addicted, the referred to as. The term is often used too easily, for example, if Naschfreunde say they are chocolate addicted. Medically this is nonsense. What these people really say: I love chocolate, I can't help it and carry no responsibility for it.

on the Other hand, can serve the talk about of enjoyment as a facade in order to conceal a problem of dealing with an addiction. The Addiction doctor Falk pine from the Central Institute for Mental health in Mannheim observed, the often. A significant portion of its patients is one of a group that could be described as a sophisticated drinker. "Such people say: I'm not an alcoholic, I drink only good wines," says Falk Kiefer. With the stereotype of the drinker in the city Park, Torkel has of Barolo-a friend indeed, little in common - except for his alcohol dependence.

"pleasure has to do with pleasure, reward," says pine. To drink a few bottles of wine in fine company, is a Festival. When the wine tells a story, because he comes from a great holiday. The wine smells, runs down the throat down, to tame these annoying reason and welded together by the group: Cheers, my pleasure to spend a beautiful, with you in the evening! In the brain the reward system pleasure leads dances and pours cheerful dopamine on the neural attachment sites.

What's happening in the brain in Detail, is not relevant at this point. Important: There are good feelings arise. After that, the people are longing and repeat the associated behaviour. What a pleasure you want to experience again. Repetition changed, however, among other things, the perception that "The corresponding situations are positively-charged," says pine. You are now processed to be relevant and easier cognitively. That sounds bulky, but roughly translate: The perception is always stronger so that the shutter-release button, the reward will jump into the eye. The alcohol lovers noticed Bars easy chocolate friend reacts particularly fix on sweets.

With the Addiction has to do nothing. But it is the pattern, from which an uneasy relationship to intoxicants. To Addiction when the perception is focused tunnel vision and Think only Drinking circles - if a reward turns it into a pure habit.

pleasure? Reward? A? Or because you can't otherwise? Champagne drinkers would admit to be drunk.

(photo: Jens Kalaene/dpa)

jumping at Present, but even the pleasure drinker, occasional smoker, candy lover reflex the bad Conscience in the back of the neck. The beautiful night is gone, the bottles are emptied - and the brain spits out the desire of the enemy's warnings, the patter every day from all channels. Unhealthy! Dangerous! Terrible! What fun has usually a destructive side, and these reports now. The bad Conscience could be described as a enjoyment cat. The repentant red wine drinker, swears by the revelry, a Phase of abstinence of appeal and to repent on their own body.

Now, many people fall into a compulsive pattern: they impose too strict rules - and fail. Four weeks without alcohol, were scheduled after five days, then, in the case of a birthday invitation, took the oath in a small rush. From the lousy feeling of failure can develop in a spiral: It is the count of the standard, the motivation of knowledge in psychology, writes the psychologist Ernst-Dieter Lantermann, that the level of ambition will increase to a defeat. Instead, four of the frustrated Penitent now has eight weeks - and fails.

A single wet evening is then interpreted as a failure. The good old Now-is-it-anyway-no matter-Think of uses: you can drink more in the morning. Conversely, success as a justification for Ausschweif serve many: I earned it! For example, it is no wonder that athletes like to drink, Yes earned. Playing with fire requires a justification. If the enjoyment is but a habit, he can turn to Addiction. Frankincense and citrus notes, no one speaks any more.