By JOHN RICHARD SCHROCK
When an international school recruited 15 of the best veteran teachers from across the United States to teach in their expanding school, their students’ parents were driven to exhaustion. Their students wanted to act in the plays, participate in the Model United Nations, compete in the intermural sports, perform in the musical band or orchestra, have a project in the science fairs and go on all the new field trips. At the end of that school year, the school administrators called the teachers together to report that something unexpected had happened. There had previously been a drug problem among some of the older students, particularly with opium and heroin. It had essentially disappeared.
This was in the mid-1970s, and there was very little research available on the biochemistry of drug actions. But to veteran teachers, this made sense. When we get students excited about learning, acting, performing music, participating and competing, our students are “high” on these academic activities. Engaged teaching produced lasting enthusiasm. Eagerness to get back to school the next day. Excitement shared with classmates. Excess purpose in life.
In these last 45 years, science has studied the modes-of-action of heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and similar drugs. By working with research animals and then testing drugs to counteract the effect of addictive drugs in addicts, we have come to understand the mechanisms of drug addiction. And one central chemical in our body that contributes to normal motivation as well as drug addiction is dopamine.
We all produce some dopamine by altering a chemical L-DOPA that is built in our brain and kidneys. It is one of several neurotransmitters, chemicals that our nerve cells use to send signals to the next nerve cells. In our general body, dopamine functions as a hormone, increasing blood vessel dilation and urine production, etc. But in the brain, there are special dopamine pathways. Dopamine is often discussed as being our “pleasure chemical.” But its action is more narrow: creating motivation or desire toward the action producing it.
Many addictive drugs stimulate more dopamine release, or increase dopamine by preventing it from being recycled. This drives the addict to take more drugs. Marijuana is indirect, activating a chemical receptor CB1, that indirectly increases dopamine and also produces psychotropic effects. But such drug addictions are the artificial use of a natural system.
Today my teacher colleagues realize that we get our students “high” on the many exciting activities in our educational programs. That excitement is a natural action of dopamine at normal levels in a healthy person. No need for chemical addiction. A life of learning is naturally stimulating. Naturally motivating. Naturally exciting. Today we also understand the problems of below normal dopamine levels that can contribute to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and restless leg syndrome.
This poses the dilemma we face. As humans, our neurophysiology is structured for us to get our motivation from the excitement that parents and teachers should provide through superior teaching and life experiences. Or we can get it artificially through drugs.
Admittedly, many students drift through uninspired education and do not become addicts. But having more inspiring teachers definitely counteracts having more drug addicts.
Nevertheless, teacher shortages are growing across the United States. Unlike affluent international schools, most schools cannot tour the country to hire away the best of the best teachers. Low professional salaries, lack of tenure in some states, and a general lack of public respect are diverting many talented potential teachers into other vocations. You could say they are choosing to enter a more rewarding profession that provides them with more natural dopamine.
As more states vote to legalize various drugs, and as our use of legal but addictive drugs is at an all time high, this chemical competition with inspired teaching is being overlooked.
The 1800s British opium trade destroyed the life and the economy of south China for half a century. That can happen here as well. But we will only have ourselves to blame.