1. High sensitivity is biologically measurable
The nervous system of highly sensitive people reacts more strongly to stimuli.
Research shows that they have higher activity in the limbic system(amygdala, hippocampus), which is responsible for emotions, stress and memories.
The mirror neuron systemis also more active – that's why they feel the feelings of others more intensely.
Result: They experience joy, pain, and tension much more intenselythan average.
👉 Advantage: more empathy, more creativity, deeper experiences.
👉 Challenge: faster overstimulation, escape into numbness or anesthesia.
2. Why addiction develops – the reward system
The brain contains a dopamine system(mesolimbic system) that controls motivation, pleasure, and reward.
In highly sensitive people, this system is particularly "finely tuned".
Substances like alcohol, opiates, or kratom release dopamine much faster and more intensely there→ one feels briefly calm, happy, or connected.
But: The brain "learns" this artificial shortcut and demands it again and again.
This is how the dependency develops.
👉 Important: Addiction is not a weakness, but a neurobiological overload reactionof a particularly sensitive nervous system.
3. Generations 70–90: Why are they particularly affected?
During this time there was a cultural shift: more individuality, more feeling, more questioning– but at the same time a system that demanded toughness and functionality.
This generation was like a "bridge": too refined for the old harshness, too early for the new acceptance.
Many sought refuge in substances to make their inner world bearable.
👉 They were not weak – they were pioneers of a new humanity.
4. Guilt & Shame – What Happens in the Brain
Feelings of guilt activate the prefrontal cortex(self-evaluation, rumination).
Constant shame keeps the nervous system under stress (cortisol)→ this weakens healing, motivation and joy.
When people constantly feel guilty, their brains are kept in a fight-or-flight mode– they then have less access to creativity, solutions, and inner strength.
👉 Healing means: letting go of guilt and shame → nerves relax → potential is released again.
5. Why kratom + affirmations are so powerful
Kratom binds to opioid receptorsin the brain, similar to endorphins (the body's own happiness hormones).
This reduces pain, anxiety, and inner restlessness.
At the same time, the dopamine system is activated→ motivation and hope increase.
In this state, the brain is more plastic, meaning it learns new thought patterns more easily.
This is exactly where affirmations come in: they implant new, positive programming into the subconscious mindwhile the mind is relaxed.
👉 Neurobiologically: Kratom creates the ground of calm, affirmations plant the seeds of change.
6. Superpower instead of illness
Neuroscientists now know that many people with addiction or mental problems have an above-average active nervous system.
This is the same nervous system that is typical of geniuses, artists, shamans, and visionaries.
Dependence is not a "mistake", but a misunderstood way of dealing with excessive potential.
Conclusion:
High sensitivity + strong dopamine system = a gift and a challenge at the same time.
Addiction is merely a failed attempt to regulate this strength.
Those who learn to consciously use their potential (meditation, kratom as a bridge, affirmations , creative channels) can go from being “dependent” to being the creator of their own life.