Addiction

The effects of addiction include an inability to consistently abstain, impairment in behavioral control, the phenomenon of craving, and a dysfunctional emotional response. The neurobiology of addiction includes the neurochemistry of reward. As a disease with a negative impact on an individual’s ability to maintain relationships and contribute to society, addiction often brings about family trauma and societal stigma.

Addiction recovery usually requires some form of addiction treatment with the aid of an addiction counselor, as well as other mental health and health care professionals. Since addiction is a progressive disease, a lack of addiction recovery can result in negative life consequences, including loss of financial resources, institutional incarceration, and premature death.

Sources: National Institute on Drug Abuse, American Society of Addiction Medicine