Addiction?

Addiction

Dependence on a habit-forming substance or behavior that the person is powerless to stop.

Addictive personality

A concept that was formerly used to explain addiction as the result of pre-existing character defects in individuals.

Process addiction

Addiction to certain mood-altering behaviors, such as eating disorders, overwork, and shopping.

Tolerance

A condition in which an addict needs higher doses of a substance to achieve the same effect previously achieved with a lower dose.

Withdrawal

The unpleasant, sometimes life-threatening physiological changes that occur, due to the discontinuation of use of some substance after prolonged, regular use.

Addiction is a dependence on a certain behavior or substance that a person is powerless to stop or change. The term has been partially replaced by the word dependence for substance abuse. Addiction has been extended, however, to include mood-altering behaviors or activities. There are two types of addictions: substance addictions (for example, substance abuse, alcoholism, and smoking) and also process addictions (for example, spending to much, shopping, over eating). There are many addicts, such as poly abusers, that are addicted to more than one substance or process.

Description

Addiction is one of the most costly public health problems in the United States. It's a progressive syndrome, which means that it increases in severity over time unless it is treated. Substance abusers often make repeated attempts to quit before they are successful. Substance abuse is characterized by frequent relapse, or return to the abused substance.

Diagnosis

In addition to a preoccupation with using and acquiring the abused substance, the diagnosis of addiction is based on five criteria:

loss of willpower

harmful consequences

unmanageable lifestyle

tolerance or escalation of use

withdrawal symptoms upon quitting

Treatment

Treatment requires both medical and social approaches. Substance addicts may need hospital treatment to manage withdrawal symptoms. Individual or group psychotherapy is often helpful, but only after substance use has stopped. Anti-addiction medications, such as methadone and naltrexone, are also commonly used.