What Is Addiction?
Addiction is classified as this type of condition, meaning it often comes back even after treatment.
A chronic and relapsing condition
Research shows that both of these two broad types of factors contribute to the risk of developing addiction.
Genetic factors and environmental factors
Addiction is considered a disorder of this organ because it changes how cravings, pleasure, and impulse control work.
The brain
In 2018, an average of this many people in the U.S. died every day from an opioid-related overdose.
129 people per day
Successful addiction treatment depends on these four key things.
Medical supervision, psychotherapy, education, and environmental modification
This term describes needing more and more of a substance to feel the same effect.
Tolerance
Children of addicts are more likely to become addicts themselves, suggesting addiction may be partly this.
Genetic
This brain experience feeling a temporary high followed by a crash is what drives people to keep using addictive substances.
The reward cycle
Addiction costs the U.S. more than this amount each year due to lost productivity alone.
More than $80 billion per year
Research suggests that improving these types of factors like education and income could help prevent addiction before it starts.
Environmental and social factors
These are the two broad categories of addiction, one involves substances, the other involves behaviors.
Chemical addiction and process addiction
These three life circumstances have been linked to a higher risk of developing addiction.
Poverty, trauma, and mental illness
Cocaine affects the brain differently than opioids while opioids cause calm and warmth, cocaine does this.
It acts as a stimulant, causing energy and hyperactivity followed by a crash
Beyond health, addiction disrupts society in these two ways within families.
Divorce and abuse/neglect
This is why many experts say treating trauma early could help reduce rates of addiction.
Because PTSD and trauma are among the strongest risk factors for developing addiction
Besides drugs and alcohol, people can become addicted to these two everyday behaviors.
Gambling and eating
Research shows that this factor your everyday life experiences and circumstances has a greater influence on addiction risk than genetics alone.
Environmental factors
This is why addiction treatment often involves gradually reducing the dose of a substance rather than stopping all at once.
Because habitual use causes chemical changes in the body that need to be reversed slowly
More than 1 in 10 U.S. adults is affected each year by this specific disorder related to alcohol.
Alcohol Use Disorder
Even after treatment, many people with addiction struggle because of this.
Relapse, addiction is a chronic condition that often recurs
This is the term for the uncomfortable physical and psychological symptoms that occur when someone stops using an addictive substance.
Withdrawal
This mental health condition has the strongest link to alcohol use disorder among people studied.
PTSD
This psychological trait is commonly low in people who develop addictions, regardless of their social or economic background.
Self-esteem
You can call this free, confidential helpline available 24/7 for help with substance abuse.
SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
This AP Psychology model best explains addiction because it considers biological, psychological, and social causes all together.
The biopsychosocial model