What is an Addiction?

An addiction is a continued or increased compulsive behavior despite knowing that it is causing significant damage to one’s life. However, one does not have to be addicted for the behavior to wreak havoc. Misuse, abuse or dependency can also cause chaos and destruction.

The following definitions are given for your information only. Do not spend too much time trying to diagnose yourself or your loved one. The label is not nearly as helpful as understanding the underlying causes of the behavior.

Addiction is defined by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) as:

• A chronic relapsing disease
• Compulsive drug-seeking and abuse
• Long-lasting chemical changes in the brain.

While much of the information contained in this section can easily apply to all addictive behavior, we will discuss alcohol, illicit drug and prescription drug (collectively called substance) addiction only.

A substance addiction meets two criteria:

1. Difficulty controlling how much you use or for how long.
   For example, you sincerely pledge to yourself or a loved one that you will drink only a certain number of drinks or for a limited amount of time. Instead of keeping this commitment, one drink leads to another until the promise is broken.
2. Continued use despite the negative consequences your use has caused.
   For example, you continue to drink or take drugs even though, as a result, your work or school performance has severely declined or you have conflict in your relationships.

Tolerance is a need to use greater amounts of substance to achieve the same effect or a decrease in the effect when using the same amount of substance. It takes more and more just to maintain the same feeling.

Withdrawal occurs when decreasing or quitting causes symptoms such as irritability, anxiety, tremors, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, chills, or pain. Each substance induces its own characteristic constellation of symptoms. All withdrawals produce discomfort, but some, like alcohol and tranquilizers such as Xanax, may cause death.

Resources may be diverted. A great deal of time, money or energy is spent in activities necessary to obtain the substance, use the substance, or recover from its effects.

Isolation is usually seen when important social, occupational, or recreational activities are given up or reduced because of substance use.

Inability to Stop. There is a persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control substance use.

Substance Abuse is characterized by one or more of the following:

1. Failure to Meet Responsibilities
   Recurrent substance use results in failure to fulfill major role obligations at work, school or home. (e.g. repeated absences or poor work performance related to substance use; substance-related absences, suspensions or expulsions from school, neglect of children and household)
2. Risky Behavior
   Recurrent substance use is situations in which it is physically hazardous (e.g. driving an automobile or operating machine when impaired by substance use)
3. Legal Entanglements
   Recurrent substance-related legal problems (e.g. arrests for substance-related disorderly conduct)
4. Continued Use Despite Negative Consequences