Skip Navigation Link
secslider

What is Drug Addiction?

pile of pills

Drug addiction is a commonly used term that describes an impaired ability to limit drug use, despite the harmful consequences of continued use.  In this respect, drug meets the definition of addiction. In our topic center on addiction, we define addiction:

Addiction is the repeated involvement with a substance or activity, despite the substantial harm it now causes, because that involvement was (and may continue to be) pleasurable and/or valuable.

Drug addiction is not a diagnostic term recognized by American Psychiatric Association.  The correct diagnostic term would be substance disorder.   The process of diagnosing drug addiction is discussed here.

Like all addictions, the severity of drug addiction may range from mild to severe.  Unfortunately, many pe...More

Fast Facts: Learn! Fast!

What is drug addiction?

  • Drug addiction is a commonly used term that describes an impaired ability to limit drug use, despite the harmful consequences of continued use. In this respect, drug meets the definition of addiction.
  • In our topic center on addiction, we define addiction as the repeated involvement with a substance or activity, despite the substantial harm it now causes, because that involvement was (and may continue to be) pleasurable and/or valuable.
  • Drug addiction is not a diagnostic term recognized by American Psychiatric Association. The correct diagnostic term would be substance disorder. The process of diagnosing drug addiction is discussed here.
  • Like all addictions, the severity of drug addiction may range from mild to severe. Unfortunately, many people mistakenly believe they do not need to be concerned about their drug use because they do not consider themselves "an addict." In other words, people sometimes fail to recognize the substantial harm caused by their repeated and continued use of drugs.

For more information on identifying the many possible ways that drug use may be harmful to someone.

What causes drug addiction?

  • There is no one single cause of drug addiction. Instead, there are multiple causes that can be grouped into four basic categories.
  • These four categories are: 1) biological causes, 2) psychological causes, 3) socio-cultural causes, and 4) spiritual causes. Psychologists call this the Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual Model of addiction.
  • The biological causes of drug addiction include each person's unique physiology and genetics.
  • Psychologically, people learn to anticipate some benefit from using drugs even though it is harmful. These benefits can include: 1) stress reduction, 2) relief from boredom, 3) pleasurable sensations, 4) coping with negative feelings or situations, or 4) simply the benefit of avoiding withdrawal symptoms.
  • Socio-cultural influences also contribute to the development of drug addiction as it affords opportunities for pleasing social discourse and interaction.
  • Spirituality is another causal factor that can determine whether an addiction develops and flourishes.

For more information

What are the signs and symptoms of drug addiction?

  • The diagnosis of a substance use disorder is based upon a pathological set of behaviors related to substance use. These behaviors fall into four main categories:
    • Impaired control - 1) Using for longer periods of time than intended, or using larger amounts than intended; 2) Wanting to reduce use, yet being unsuccessful doing so; 3) Spending excessive time getting/using/recovering from the use; 4) Cravings that are so intense it is difficult to think about anything else.
    • Social impairment - 1) People may continue to use despite problems with work, school or family/social obligations; 2) Someone continues to use despite having interpersonal problems because of that use; 3) Important and meaningful social and recreational activities may be given up or reduced because of use.
    • Risky use - 1) someone repeatedly uses substances in physically dangerous situations; 2) Some people continue to use substances even though they are aware it is causing or worsening physical and psychological problems.
    • Pharmacological indicators (tolerance and withdrawal) - 1) Tolerance occurs when people need to increase the amount of drugs to achieve the same desired effect; 2) Withdrawal is the body's response to the abrupt cessation of a drug, once the body has developed a tolerance to it.

For more information

How is drug addiction treated?

  • There are four basic approaches to drug addiction treatment: Biological, Psychological, Socio-Cultural, and Spiritual.
  • People can combine these various approaches to match their individual needs and circumstances as they work to develop their own individualized, custom-tailored approach to recovery.
  • Biological approaches to addictions treatment attempt to correct or modify the presumed underlying biological causes of addiction. According to biological models of addiction, a "broken" or damaged brain causes addiction.
  • Psychological approaches to recovery aim to increase a person's motivation for change.
  • In addition to changing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, individuals embracing recovery may also need to restructure their social world.
  • Strengthening the motivation for recovery is very helpful. One such approach is called Motivational Interviewing.
  • There are also several effective types of psychotherapy for addictions. These are: Relapse Prevention Therapy; Contingency Management; Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy; Dialectical Behavioral Therapy; Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.
  • Socio-cultural approaches to addictions recovery emphasize the important influence of social groups on individuals as they attempt to recover. These include: 1) harm reduction strategies such as needle exchange programs, or public campaigns such as designated drivers, 2) family approaches to addictions treatment, and 3) the social support approach to addictions treatment.
  • Spiritual approaches to recovery are based on research that has repeatedly demonstrated that spirituality can have a positive effect on recovery from many diseases and disorders. The most well-known spiritual approaches to addictions recovery are the 12-step support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).

For more information


News Articles

  • Opioid Overdose Deaths Quadruple, Centered in 8 States

    U.S. opioid overdose deaths have quadrupled in the last two decades, and the highest rates are now seen in eight Eastern states, a new study shows. More...

  • Kratom-Related Poisonings Are Soaring, Study Finds

    Calls to U.S. poison control centers related to the herbal drug kratom have skyrocketed, increasing more than 50-fold in a matter of six years, a new study shows. More...

  • Among Rich Nations, U.S. Has Highest Rate of Fatal Drug ODs

    It's a ranking that no country would want to have: A new study shows America has taken the lead in drug overdose deaths, with rates almost four times higher than in 17 other wealthy nations. More...

  • FDA Fell Short in Preventing Fentanyl Abuse Crisis, Report Claims

    Drug makers and federal regulators dropped the ball in tracking the use of a potentially deadly fast-acting form of the synthetic opioid fentanyl, putting thousands of patients at risk of a fatal overdose, a new study claims. More...

  • More Car Crashes Tied to Drivers High on Opioids

    The damage wrought by the opioid epidemic has spread to America's highways, with the percentage of fatal car crashes involving a driver who was high on the powerful painkillers tripling in the past 25 years. More...

    • 45 More

    • Insurers Making It Harder to Treat Opioid Addiction: Study

      Insurance rules that limit access to the addiction treatment medication buprenorphine may be worsening the U.S. opioid epidemic, a new study suggests. More...

    • Meth Abuse Driving Big Spike in Syphilis Cases

      A startling increase in syphilis cases among Americans may be linked to addiction to methamphetamine and other drugs, federal health officials said Thursday. More...

    • Poor Whites Bear the Brunt of U.S. Opioid Crisis, Studies Find

      America's ongoing opioid epidemic has struck poor whites harder than any other group, and a new study argues that racism likely played a role in that. More...

    • Opioid Addicts Are Overdosing on Diarrhea Drug

      A popular anti-diarrheal drug is fast becoming another dangerous byproduct of the opioid crisis, as more addicts take huge quantities of it to ease withdrawal symptoms or get dangerously high. More...

    • Opioid OD Deaths Are Saving Lives Through Transplantation

      More than 70,000 lives were lost to drug overdoses in the United States in 2017. Now, some of those touched by these tragedies might take a little comfort knowing their loved one's heart helped save a life. More...

    • Making OxyContin 'Tamper Proof' Helped Spread Hepatitis C

      An effort to make the opioid painkiller OxyContin harder to abuse drove addicted patients to heroin and caused a dramatic increase in hepatitis C, a new study suggests. More...

    • AHA: Marijuana, Cocaine May Play Role in Young Americans' Rising Stroke Rate

      The vast majority of strokes occur in people over 65, but the number of younger adults having strokes is rising. New research suggests growth in illegal drug use could be playing a role. More...

    • Another Opioid Scourge: Infection-Related Strokes

      As abuse of injected heroin and other addictive opioids spreads throughout the United States, heart experts warn of a growing threat: strokes caused by infections contracted through dirty needles. More...

    • Opioid Danger to Newborns Varies By Region

      Areas of the United States with high unemployment and few mental health services have higher rates of newborns who were exposed to opioids in the womb, a new study finds. More...

    • Use of 'Zombie' Drug Rare Among High School Seniors: Study

      The synthetic drug alpha-PVP -- or Flakka -- is sometimes called the "zombie" or "cannibal" drug, and about 1 percent of U.S. high school seniors have tried it, according to a new study. More...

    • As More Smoke Pot, Are Their Jobs at Risk?

      As increasing numbers of Americans use marijuana, there is a rising risk of job loss among those who use the drug, a new study suggests. More...

    • Many Addiction Centers Lack Anti-Opioid Meds: Study

      Although the U.S. opioid epidemic dates back more than a decade, only 6 percent of treatment centers in 2016 offered the three medications approved to treat opioid addiction, new research reveals. More...

    • Big Pharma's Marketing to Docs Helped Trigger Opioid Crisis: Study

      Aggressive direct marketing to doctors by pharmaceutical companies is tied to spurring the ongoing epidemic of opioid abuse in the United States, a new study claims. More...

    • More Americans Mixing Opioids With Sedatives

      As if the opioid crisis wasn't already bad enough, new research shows a sharp rise in the number of Americans taking dangerous combinations of opioids and sedatives. More...

    • Are Some Opioid Abusers Using Their Pets to Get the Drugs?

      Veterinarians are prescribing large quantities of opioids to pets, raising concern that some people might be using Fido or Snuggles to feed their addiction. More...

    • Opioids Now More Deadly for Americans Than Traffic Accidents

      For the first time in history, Americans' risk of dying from an opioid overdose is higher than their risk of dying in a car accident, the National Safety Council reported Monday. More...

    • 1-800-662-HELP: Too Few Opioid Users Aware of Lifesaving Helpline

      Millions of Americans are living with drug addiction, but a free, national hotline that offers help is underused because most don't know about it, new research finds. More...

    • Fatal Drug ODs Soaring Among Middle-Aged Women: CDC

      The rate at which middle-aged American women die from overdoses involving opioids and other drugs nearly quadrupled between 1999 and 2017, new government data shows. More...

    • At Risk for an Opioid OD? There's an App for That

      University of Washington researchers have developed an app that can detect when a person's breathing dangerously slows or stops. More...

    • Postpartum Opioid Rx May Lead to Persistent Use: Study

      New mothers who take opioid painkillers after either vaginal birth or cesarean section may be at increased risk of becoming persistent users, a new study finds. More...

    • After Opioid OD, Most Patients Can Leave Hospital in an Hour

      People who overdose on opioids can often be saved quickly with a dose of naloxone, but it hasn't been clear how long someone should be kept in the hospital after being revived. More...

    • Advice for Battling Opioid Addiction

      As the United States continues to struggle with its unprecedented opioid crisis, an expert says all Americans need to take action to prevent addiction and help those in need. More...

    • Opioid Overdose Deaths Triple Among Teens, Kids

      In the past two decades, opioid overdose death rates among U.S. kids and teens have tripled, a new study shows. More...

    • More Evidence That Abuse of Xanax, Valium Is on the Rise

      About one in every five people who take Valium, Xanax and other benzodiazepines are misusing the potentially addictive medication, U.S. survey data show. More...

    • U.S. Opioid Addiction Crisis Is Top Health Story of 2018

      The scourge of opioid addiction and related deaths cut through American society again in 2018, capturing headlines and making it the year's top health story. More...

    • Opioid OD Deaths Soaring Among Native Americans

      As the epidemic of opioid addiction rips through the United States, one group is being hit especially hard: Native Americans. More...

    • Could Pot Harm Men's Sperm?

      New research shows that marijuana causes genetic changes in sperm, though it's not clear what effect those changes have, or if they're passed on to a man's children. More...

    • Opioids May Help Chronic Pain, But Not Much

      Potentially addictive opioid painkillers are often prescribed for chronic pain, but they actually work only slightly better than placebo pills, a new review shows. More...

    • Today's More Potent Pot Means Higher Odds for Dependence: Study

      Pot's increasing potency could make it more likely that toking will interfere with users' lives, a new study argues. More...

    • Anti-Opioid Vaccine Shows Promise in Mice

      A vaccine that might help combat the opioid epidemic has performed well in early animal testing, researchers report. More...

    • Fentanyl Now the No. 1 Opioid OD Killer

      As the U.S. opioid epidemic grinds on, fentanyl is fast becoming the main culprit in drug overdose deaths, health officials report. More...

    • New Approach to Opioid Crisis: Supervised Heroin Injection Programs?

      It's not standard practice in the United States, but supervised access to medical-grade heroin may reduce the risk of harm for heroin addicts unable to kick the habit, new research suggests. More...

    • Opioids Plus Other Drugs a Deadly Mix for Heavy Users

      One in four long-term users of opioid painkillers may be at risk for overdose because of overlapping prescriptions for other drugs, researchers report. More...

    • Even Wisdom Tooth Removal May Spur Opioid Addiction

      eens and young adults who are prescribed opioid painkillers after having their wisdom teeth removed are at increased risk for addiction, new research suggests. More...

    • Untangling the Ties Between Troubled Teens and Pot Use

      Teens with behavioral problems are more likely than others to use marijuana -- but the drug itself doesn't increase conduct problems, a new study indicates. More...

    • Meth, Opioid Use in Pregnancy on the Rise

      Methamphetamine and opioid use has soared among pregnant American women, putting the health of baby and mother at risk, a new study finds. More...

    • More Teens Try Pot Before Booze, Cigarettes

      Rebellious teens used to reach for cigarettes or alcohol. Now, marijuana is increasingly their first choice, a new study reveals. More...

    • Opioids Increasingly Tied to Deaths of Pregnant Women

      As the U.S. opioid epidemic rages unchecked, new research shows that pregnancy-related deaths due to opioid misuse more than doubled between 2007 and 2016. More...

    • 'Huffing' Deodorant Cost One Teen His Life

      Highlighting the dangers posed by "huffing," Dutch physicians outline the tragic case of a 19-year-old who died after inhaling spray deodorant to get high. More...

    • Many Drugstores Won't Dispense Opioid Antidote as Required

      People who overdose on opioids have one lifeline, the drug naloxone, but two new studies find that many pharmacies won't offer this lifesaving antidote without a doctor's blessing. More...

    • U.S. OD Death Rate Worst Among Wealthier Nations

      With the rate of drug overdose deaths more than doubling since the turn of the century, the United States now leads the world in these preventable tragedies. More...

    • AHA: Meth Use Producing Younger, Harder-to-Treat Heart Failure Patients

      Widespread methamphetamine use is creating a unique form of severe heart failure, according to new research that shows these patients tend to be younger and have poor outcomes. More...

    • Over 2 Million Americans Have Hepatitis C; Opioids Help Drive Spread

      More than 2 million Americans have hepatitis C -- and the opioid epidemic is a major contributor to the problem, according to a new government study. More...

    • Fentanyl-Laced Crack Cocaine a Deadly New Threat

      entanyl, a powerful and dangerous synthetic opioid, is now showing up in crack cocaine and causing life-threatening overdoses. More...

    • New Evidence Pot May Harm the Teen Brain

      Teens who stop smoking pot can think and learn better afterward, even if they are only light users, a new study reports. More...

Share This

Resources

Topics