Once a opioid addict has stopped using, are the dopamine and serotonin receptors completely fried, or do they heal themselves and begin to release the chemical without the intoxicant

Question

Once a opioid addict has stopped using, are the dopamine and serotonin receptors completely fried, or do they heal themselves and begin to release the chemical without the intoxicant

In: Other

Answer 1

It’s not that the receptors are damaged, it’s that there’s less of them. Because the body becomes used to opioids circulating in the blood, those receptors are downregulated so they aren’t being overstimulated- essentially, the system becomes recalibrated for a higher baseline level of opioids by reducing the number of receptors those opioids can hit, while also reducing its own endogenous opioid production.

When usage stops, the body’s own opioid production suddenly isn’t enough to have the same effect on those receptors because there are less of them to stimulate. This dysfunction is what leads to withdrawal symptoms. Over time the body adapts, recalibrating those receptors once again for a new baseline, and bringing the system back to normal function.