1. Session 5: X3pure Men’s Series
Physiology of the Brain

2. Review

3. 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.

4. Sexual Sobriety Map

5. Sexual Sobriety Map
Unwanted Sexual Behavior
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6. Sexual Sobriety Map
Unwanted Sexual Behavior
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White-Knuckle Change Real Change
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Abstinence Understanding of Physiology
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Relapse Abstinence
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Acceptance of Conditional Love
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Pursuit of Unconditional Love

7. The Brain’s Reward System

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

9. 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

10. The Brain’s Reward System

11. The Brain’s Reward System
• The brain remembers what it likes through a
neurochemical called dopamine.

12. 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.

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

14. 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 Ventral Tegmental Area of the brain, or
VTA, sends a continual dose of dopamine to
three important parts of the brain.
- Nucleus Accumbens

15. 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 Ventral Tegmental Area of the brain, or
VTA, sends a continual dose of dopamine to
three important parts of the brain.
- Nucleus Accumbens
- Prefrontal cortex

16. 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 Ventral Tegmental Area of the brain, or
VTA, sends a continual dose of dopamine to
three important parts of the brain.
- Nucleus Accumbens
- Prefrontal cortex
- Amygdala

17. The Brain’s Reward System

18. The Brain’s Reward System
• The Continual dose of dopamine is called a
Basal Secretion Rate

19. The Brain’s Reward System
• The Continual dose of dopamine is called a
Basal Secretion Rate
- 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.

20. The Brain’s Reward System
• The Continual dose of dopamine is called a
Basal Secretion Rate
- 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.

21. The Brain’s Reward System

22. The Brain’s Reward System
• Neurons

23. The Brain’s Reward System
• Neurons
- Cells in the nervous system that process and transmit information by
electrochemical signaling.

24. The Brain’s Reward System
• Neurons
- Cells in the nervous system that process and transmit information by
electrochemical signaling.
- Neurons help us the define the unique people we are and our likes and
dislikes.

25. The Brain’s Reward System
• Neurons
- Cells in the nervous system that process and transmit information by
electrochemical signaling.
- 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.

26. The Brain’s Reward System
• Neurons
- Cells in the nervous system that process and transmit information by
electrochemical signaling.
- 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.
- “If you don’t use it you lose it.”

27. The Brain’s Reward System

28. The Brain’s Reward System
• Nucleus Accumbens

29. The Brain’s Reward System
• Nucleus Accumbens
- The brain’s pleasure center.

30. The Brain’s Reward System
• Nucleus Accumbens
- 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.

31. The Brain’s Reward System
• Nucleus Accumbens
- 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

32. The Brain’s Reward System
• Nucleus Accumbens
- 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”.

33. The Brain’s Reward System
• Nucleus Accumbens
- 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.

34. The Brain’s Reward System
• Nucleus Accumbens
- 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

35. The Brain’s Reward System
• Nucleus Accumbens
- 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.

36. The Brain’s Reward System
• Nucleus Accumbens
- 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.

37. Assignment

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