Research into oxytocin has brought forth helpful insights into several areas of mental health. Everyone has this chemical at birth, but each person has a different amount. The first encounter most have with oxytocin is just after birth when a baby is in the mother’s arms. The parent-child bond is greatly affected by this hormone’s release. Learn more about the role of oxytocin in addiction.
Risks of Addiction in Toddlers
Research has been done linking oxytocin and drug addiction. Risk factors may be detected for addiction as easily as age four. Since the oxytocin system finishes forming around age three, it may be that less of the hormone is partly responsible for signs of addiction risk. More of the hormone would enhance social bonding and the experienced rewards of human interaction. Less oxytocin in the system may leave people less able to experience rewards through social exposure.
Risks of Insufficient Oxytocin
The power of oxytocin can increase connectedness and wellbeing. Young children deprived of sufficient levels of oxytocin may become vulnerable to forming substance addiction later in life. Oxytocin may hold the key to treating addiction to opiates and fending off relapse. With more research being conducted that leads to signs of insufficient levels of oxytocin leading to substance abuse later in life, it makes sense to investigate oxytocin as a potential treatment for drug cravings.
Oxytocin as Potential Drug Treatment
There is emerging data to suggest oxytocin may one day be used as treatment to help people in recovery overcome drug cravings. There have been no medications to help manage and relieve the meth cravings that often precede relapse. Recent studies have shown that it is possible the administration of oxytocin to meth-addicted rats reduced meth-seeking behaviors.the findings are hopeful in other ways, to, suggesting the neurobiological affirmation that what works best for many people in recovery from addiction is love and connection. That does not mean that people who lack bonding early on in life are going to become addicted to substances, or that they are not going to be able to fight back against substance abuse. It does mean that pursuing these alternative options can support a holistic approach to recovery that perhaps has not been possible in the past. This brings a measure of hope for people who maybe have tried and struggled to find an approach that works for them to support a long term recovery.
The Springboard Center’s addiction treatment programs are tailored to meet the needs of each client. By utilizing a set of diverse methods of addiction treatment, we are able to deal with your addiction from all angles and concentrate on every aspect of your healing process. It is important to recognize that many of our services offer a group setting and environment, so that the client spends time with other people affected by the same chronic disease and problems. 432-620-0255
