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

  • America Has a Huge -- and Very Costly -- Drug Habit

    If you don't think Americans have a problem with illicit drugs, a new study shows that nearly $150 billion was spent on marijuana, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine in 2016. More...

  • Fewer Opioid Painkillers Can Still Control Surgery Pain

    Surgery patients can routinely be prescribed fewer opioid pills -- even just a handful -- without sacrificing their pain relief. More...

  • All U.S. Adults Should Be Screened for Illicit Drug Use, National Panel Urges

    Amid an ongoing epidemic of opioid addiction and misuse, a national panel on Tuesday advised that doctors routinely screen all adults for illicit drug use. More...

  • Lethal Deception: Deaths From Cocaine Laced With Fentanyl on the Rise

    Across the United States and Canada, people are buying cocaine only to discover too late that it contains potentially deadly fentanyl, a new report warns. More...

  • Many Young Americans Regret Online Posts Made While High

    In a new study, more than a third of young people surveyed said they'd posted on social media while under the influence of drugs, while more than half had called someone or sent a text. More...

    • 45 More

    • Too Few U.S. Opioid Users Are Getting OD Antidote

      Naloxone can reverse an opioid overdose, but far too little of the lifesaving drug is used where it is needed the most, a new U.S. government report shows. More...

    • After Pot Legalized, Colorado's Teens Moved From Smoking to Edibles, 'Dabbing'

      Colorado legalized recreational marijuana use in 2014, and a new study shows that the state's teens have since started to move away from smoking pot to other forms of consumption. More...

    • Teens Are Getting Hooked on Leftover Prescription Meds

      Many American teens who misuse prescription drugs get them from a variety of sources, researchers report. More...

    • How Does Meth Trigger Heart Disease? New Research Offers Clues

      Autopsies have uncovered new insight into how the illegal drug methamphetamine harms the heart. More...

    • Drug Experimentation and Summer a Dangerous Duo

      New research shows many people try drugs for the first time when the weather is warm and the music is loud. More...

    • Medical Marijuana Won't Help Ease Opioid Crisis: Study

      Some proponents of medical marijuana have claimed that its use against pain might help curb the ongoing crisis of opioid abuse. But a new study refutes that notion, finding that state laws legalizing medical marijuana have had little impact on the issue. More...

    • Opioid Epidemic Doubled Number of U.S. Kids Sent to Foster Care

      The opioid epidemic appears to be literally tearing families apart. More...

    • Teens' Opioid Abuse May Be Gateway to Heroin

      Teens who take prescription opioid painkillers to get high could be taking a step toward heroin use, researchers say. More...

    • Teens Risk Seizures, Coma When They Use 'Synthetic Pot'

      Teens who use Spice, K2 or other synthetic marijuana products may risk medical harm, including coma and seizures, researchers report. More...

    • Keep Unused Meds Out of the Hands of Addicts

      As America grapples with an opioid epidemic, it has become even more important to dispose of your leftover prescription medications properly, one pharmacist says. More...

    • Is Your County an Opioid Overdose 'Hotspot'?

      America's opioid epidemic has claimed thousands of lives, but certain counties in the South and Midwest are paying the highest price more often, researchers say. More...

    • Prenatal Opioid Exposure Could Bring Long-Term Harm to Kids

      Children exposed to opioids in the womb may have heightened risks of long-term mental and physical health issues, a new study suggests. More...

    • FDA Warns Two Kratom Marketers About False Claims

      The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday took two kratom marketers to task over false claims that their products can treat or cure opioid addiction. More...

    • Marijuana Use by U.S. Teens Has Jumped 10-fold Since 1990s

      As society relaxes its rules around marijuana, U.S. teens seem to be responding by using the drug in much bigger numbers than a generation ago, new research shows. More...

    • Fatal Opioid ODs Rise as Temperatures Fall

      Why do opioid overdose deaths spike after cold snaps? More...

    • Most U.S. Pot Users Think They Can Get Away With Driving High

      Most Americans think they won't get caught driving while high on marijuana, a new AAA Foundation survey finds. More...

    • Opioids Prescribed in Hospital Often Tied to Long-Term Use

      People given opioids for the first time in the hospital are likely to continue getting them for months after, a new study reports. More...

    • Drug ODs, Suicides Soaring Among Millennials: Report

      So-called "deaths of despair" are skyrocketing among millennials, with thousands of 18- to 34-year-olds losing their lives to drugs, alcohol and suicide each year, a new report says. More...

    • Opioid Misuse, Binge Drinking Often Go Hand in Hand

      Of the more than 4 million Americans who misuse prescription opioids, more than half also binge drink, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More...

    • Legalizing Medical Pot Won't Ease Opioid Crisis: Study

      Medical marijuana has been a beacon of hope in the opioid epidemic, with states legalizing weed in hopes that its use will cut down on fatal overdoses from painkiller use. Now, a new study is throwing cold water on that notion. More...

    • Drugstores Often Don't Have Opioid Antidote in Stock, Philly Study Shows

      ven though the drug naloxone can be a lifesaving antidote to an opioid overdose, researchers in Philadelphia report that only a third of drugstores in that city carried it. More...

    • 'Secret Shopper' Study Finds Many Who Need Addiction Treatment Can't Get It

      When people who are addicted to opioids make the difficult decision to quit, the last thing they need to face are barriers to treatment. More...

    • Health Tip: Naloxone Fast Facts

      Naloxone, also known as Narcan or Evzio, is a medication that treats opioid overdose. More...

    • U.S. Dentists Prescribe 37 Times More Opioids Than in England: Study

      Despite the nation's opioid epidemic, U.S. dentists are far more likely to prescribe addictive opioid painkillers than their British counterparts, a new study reveals. More...

    • Could CBD Treat Opioid Addiction?

      The researchers found that, compared to a placebo, CBD reduced drug cue-induced craving and anxiety in the participants. More...

    • Heroin ODs Have Started Declining in Some States

      After years of steady increases, the number of Americans showing up in emergency departments with heroin overdoses is on a downswing, at least in some states. More...

    • Quantity, Not Type of Opioid Matters for Post-Op Dependency

      As the United States struggles with a painkiller-abuse epidemic, researchers have found that it's the quantity of opioids prescribed after orthopedic surgery, not the type of opioid, that corresponds with long-term use. More...

    • More Than 600,000 Opioid Abusers Raising Kids in U.S.

      They might be too young to abuse opioids themselves, but America's kids are suffering nonetheless because of their drug-dependent parents. More...

    • Many Drug Abusers Use Family Members to 'Opioid Shop'

      People who are thwarted in their attempts to "shop around" for prescription opioid painkillers at doctors' offices and pharmacies may try to get the drugs via relatives as a last resort, researchers report. More...

    • Poor, Minorities Shortchanged on Opioid Addiction Treatments

      When it comes to opioid addiction treatments, money and race matter, researchers say. More...

    • Dispensing Opioid Antidote Without a Prescription Might Save Lives

      Opioid overdose deaths would decline dramatically if U.S. pharmacists could dispense the antidote naloxone without a doctor's prescription, a new study says. More...

    • Fentanyl Becoming a Deadly Accomplice in Cocaine, Meth Abuse

      As if using cocaine or methamphetamines isn't risky enough, new research shows a sharp spike in urine drug tests that are positive for those drugs and the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl. More...

    • Not Just Opioids: Deaths Tied to Cocaine, Meth Are Soaring, Too

      As the United States battles an ongoing epidemic of opioid abuse and deaths, new data shows that fatalities tied to cocaine and methamphetamines are also surging. More...

    • U.S. Teen Opioid Deaths Soaring

      The number of American children and teens who have lost their lives to opioids has nearly tripled since 1999, a new report shows. More...

    • Fatal Drug ODs Surging Among Young Americans

      The cost of America's opioid epidemic just keeps rising, with new research showing that overdose deaths among teens and young adults are soaring. More...

    • Many Drivers Testing Positive for Marijuana, Even With Kids in Car

      Many people may drive with marijuana in their system -- even when they have kids in the car. More...

    • FDA Approves 1st Generic Nasal Spray Against Opioid Overdose

      The first generic naloxone nasal spray to treat opioid overdose has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. More...

    • Another Cost of the Opioid Epidemic: Billions of Dollars in Lost Taxes

      Opioid abuse-related job losses have cost U.S. federal and state governments tens of billions of dollars in lost tax revenue, a new study claims. More...

    • Nurse Practitioners Often Restricted From Prescribing Opioid Treatments

      In a finding that suggests that not all weapons are being deployed in the opioid war, new research shows that nurse practitioners often face tough restrictions for prescribing a medication that treats opioid addiction. More...

    • In Most States, Insurance Won't Cover Addiction Treatments

      In a finding that brings bad news as America struggles with an opioid epidemic, a new report shows that only four states provide adequate insurance coverage for addiction treatment. More...

    • Overdose Deaths From Fentanyl Soaring: Report

      The number of Americans dying from overdoses of the powerful narcotic fentanyl rose 12-fold in recent years, health officials reported Thursday. More...

    • Many With Opioid Addiction Don't Get Meds That Can Help

      Most people struggling with opioid addiction lack access to FDA-approved medications that can head off withdrawal symptoms and quell their cravings, a new report finds. More...

    • Many Heroin Users Unprepared for Fentanyl OD

      Though they know that nearly all heroin is laced with the dangerous synthetic opioid fentanyl, many Baltimore users aren't prepared to prevent or treat fentanyl-related overdoses, a new study finds. More...

    • Vets Who Get Opioids From VA, Medicare at Higher Overdose Risk

      Many military veterans can get prescription opioid painkillers from both the VA and Medicare, putting them at nearly triple the risk for an overdose, new research warns. More...

    • AHA News: Opioid Crisis Brings Concerns About Heart Dangers

      While worries about the dangers of drug use and overdosing have hit homes all over the country, there also is a growing concern, and a new raft of studies, about the cardiovascular dangers emerging from opioid and methamphetamine abuse. More...

Share This

Resources

Topics