Heavensfield

What is an addiction?

Addiction may be described as:

• A brain disease shaped by behavioral and social context -- Dr. Alan Leshner, Former Director of NIDA
• Drug addition is associated with altered cortical activity and decision making that appears to overvalue reward, undervalue risk, and fail to learn from repeated errors -- Dr. Nora Volkow, Director of NIDA
• Chronic drug use which "down regulates" higher reasoning and executive functioning

"ADDICTION SHOULD NOT BE A STIGMATIZED DISORDER"

Stigma keeps people from getting the support they need to address their substance use issues.

Abuse occurs on a continuum.

• Abstinence (Refraining from use)
• Recreational Use (Occasional use)
• Abuse (Often causes psychosocial difficulties at work, at home, at school, or in relationships)
• Dependence (Physical state that causes the body to react in its absence)
• Addiction (Compelled to keep satisfying desire to use regardless of the consequences)

What is the difference between substance dependence and addiction?

• Dependenceis a physical state that occurs when the lack of a drug causes the body to have a reaction. Physical dependence is solely a physical state indicating that the body has grown so adapted to having the drug present that sudden removal of it will lead to negative consequences such as a withdrawal reaction. This can occur with almost any kind of drug -- Dr. Scott Fishman
• Addictionis a biological and psychological condition that compels a person to satisfy their need for a particular stimulus and to keep satisfying it, no matter what -- Dr. Scott Fishman
• The brain's neurochemistry responds differently depending upon a number of factors. There are different neurochemical properties associated with "liking" something and "wanting" something. Addicts should be considered as "wanting" a drug.