Session 5: X3pure Men’s SeriesPhysiology of the Brain

Review

Review• Our goal in recovery, after we have accepted that we have unwanted sexual behavior, is to discover the real reasons for why we are turning to sex as a way of meeting our needs for unconditional love instead of turning towards friends, family, community and ultimately God Himself.

Sexual Sobriety Map

Sexual Sobriety MapUnwanted Sexual Behavior

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Sexual Sobriety Map

White-Knuckle Change||

Abstinence||

Relapse

Real Change||

Understanding of Physiology||

Abstinence||

Acceptance of Conditional Love||

Pursuit of Unconditional Love

Unwanted Sexual Behavior||

The Brain’s Reward System

The Brain’s Reward System

• The Reward System is the brain’s way of remembering what it likes

The Brain’s Reward System

• The Reward System is the brain’s way of remembering what it likes

• The Reward System not only remembers what it likes but how it go it

The Brain’s Reward System

• The brain remembers what it likes through a neurochemical called dopamine.

The Brain’s Reward System

• The brain remembers what it likes through a neurochemical called dopamine. - A neurochemical is a substance created by the brain to help control how the brain works.

The Brain’s Reward System

• The brain remembers what it likes through a neurochemical called dopamine.

• The Ventral Tegmental Area of the brain, or VTA, sends a continual dose of dopamine to three important parts of the brain.

- A neurochemical is a substance created by the brain to help control how the brain works.

The Brain’s Reward System

• The brain remembers what it likes through a neurochemical called dopamine.

• The Ventral Tegmental Area of the brain, or VTA, sends a continual dose of dopamine to three important parts of the brain.

- A neurochemical is a substance created by the brain to help control how the brain works.

The Brain’s Reward System

- Nucleus Accumbens

• The brain remembers what it likes through a neurochemical called dopamine.

• The Ventral Tegmental Area of the brain, or VTA, sends a continual dose of dopamine to three important parts of the brain.

- A neurochemical is a substance created by the brain to help control how the brain works.

The Brain’s Reward System

- Nucleus Accumbens- Prefrontal cortex

• The brain remembers what it likes through a neurochemical called dopamine.

• The Ventral Tegmental Area of the brain, or VTA, sends a continual dose of dopamine to three important parts of the brain.

- A neurochemical is a substance created by the brain to help control how the brain works.

The Brain’s Reward System

- Nucleus Accumbens- Prefrontal cortex- Amygdala

The Brain’s Reward System

• The Continual dose of dopamine is called a Basal Secretion Rate

The Brain’s Reward System

• The Continual dose of dopamine is called a Basal Secretion Rate

The Brain’s Reward System

- This keeps the brain alert so that whenever it comes into contact with anything new or novel, it can give a burst of dopamine to help the brain remember what it liked.

• The Continual dose of dopamine is called a Basal Secretion Rate

The Brain’s Reward System

- This keeps the brain alert so that whenever it comes into contact with anything new or novel, it can give a burst of dopamine to help the brain remember what it liked.

- This burst feels good.

The Brain’s Reward System

• Neurons

The Brain’s Reward System

• Neurons- Cells in the nervous system that process and transmit information by electrochemical signaling.

The Brain’s Reward System

• Neurons- Cells in the nervous system that process and transmit information by electrochemical signaling.

The Brain’s Reward System

- Neurons help us the define the unique people we are and our likes and dislikes.

• Neurons- Cells in the nervous system that process and transmit information by electrochemical signaling.

The Brain’s Reward System

- Neurons help us the define the unique people we are and our likes and dislikes.

- In other words, neurons in the brain that are used for certain purposes like watching TV or playing video games get stronger while neurons in the brain that are NOT used for certain purposes, like reading and writing, get pruned out, very much like a tree.

• Neurons- Cells in the nervous system that process and transmit information by electrochemical signaling.

The Brain’s Reward System

- Neurons help us the define the unique people we are and our likes and dislikes.

- “If you don’t use it you lose it.”

- In other words, neurons in the brain that are used for certain purposes like watching TV or playing video games get stronger while neurons in the brain that are NOT used for certain purposes, like reading and writing, get pruned out, very much like a tree.

The Brain’s Reward System

• Nucleus Accumbens

The Brain’s Reward System

• Nucleus Accumbens

The Brain’s Reward System

- The brain’s pleasure center.

• Nucleus Accumbens

The Brain’s Reward System

- The brain’s pleasure center.- Dopamine released here from the VTA gives us that feeling of ecstasy we are after when we act out sexually.

• Nucleus Accumbens

The Brain’s Reward System

- The brain’s pleasure center.- Dopamine released here from the VTA gives us that feeling of ecstasy we are after when we act out sexually.

• Prefrontal Cortex

• Nucleus Accumbens

The Brain’s Reward System

- The brain’s pleasure center.- Dopamine released here from the VTA gives us that feeling of ecstasy we are after when we act out sexually.

• Prefrontal Cortex- The reasoning part of the brain in charge of “executive functioning”.

• Nucleus Accumbens

The Brain’s Reward System

- The brain’s pleasure center.- Dopamine released here from the VTA gives us that feeling of ecstasy we are after when we act out sexually.

• Prefrontal Cortex- The reasoning part of the brain in charge of “executive functioning”.- Dopamine released to the prefrontal cortex inhibits or slows proper reasoning causing poor behavioral choices.

• Nucleus Accumbens

The Brain’s Reward System

- The brain’s pleasure center.- Dopamine released here from the VTA gives us that feeling of ecstasy we are after when we act out sexually.

• Prefrontal Cortex- The reasoning part of the brain in charge of “executive functioning”.- Dopamine released to the prefrontal cortex inhibits or slows proper reasoning causing poor behavioral choices.

• Amygdala

• Nucleus Accumbens

The Brain’s Reward System

- The brain’s pleasure center.- Dopamine released here from the VTA gives us that feeling of ecstasy we are after when we act out sexually.

• Prefrontal Cortex- The reasoning part of the brain in charge of “executive functioning”.- Dopamine released to the prefrontal cortex inhibits or slows proper reasoning causing poor behavioral choices.

• Amygdala- Part of the brain that integrates sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste with emotional information.

• Nucleus Accumbens

The Brain’s Reward System

- The brain’s pleasure center.- Dopamine released here from the VTA gives us that feeling of ecstasy we are after when we act out sexually.

• Prefrontal Cortex- The reasoning part of the brain in charge of “executive functioning”.- Dopamine released to the prefrontal cortex inhibits or slows proper reasoning causing poor behavioral choices.

• Amygdala- Part of the brain that integrates sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste with emotional information.- Dopamine released to the amygdala helps the brain remember the sights, sounds, textures, smells and tastes associated with a given reward.

Assignment

Assignment• Spend some time thinking about this session and how it applies to your recovery.