Addiction

Addiction is a pattern of continued self destructive behavior which effects not only the person that is addicted but also the ones who love them most. The addicted person most often times has no insight into their problems and usually blames others ( often their loved ones) for their continued use and negative behaviors. Addicts are felt by their loved ones to be selfish, hurtful, untrustworthy, unaccountable, unappreciative, unpredictable.....and all the un-negative words. Just remember addiction to the addict is one -way his/her way. Peace to ya.

Good definition. It is so important that addiction encompasses so much more than chemical dependence. That is why a physical detox from heroin in my facility is about a week... but no one leaves us cured... the behaviors that surround addiction, be it to drugs, etoh, food, gambling... are so much harder to break and the addict has to be truly willing to totally change everything about the way they live to obtain recovery. This is what is so hard for people who are either not in recovery or in the field to understand.

I like the definition I heard at an AA meeting, "if alcohol (insert drug of choice) causes a problem in your life, then you have a problem with alcohol."

The definition of dependence is that stopping the intake of the drug causes withdrawal sx. Clearly that does not cover the full breadth of the habituation to substances problem.

" Addiction is a physical, mental & spiritual disease, affecting every area of our lives. The physical aspect of our disease is the compulsive use of drugs: the inability to stop using once we have started. The mental aspect of our disease is the obsession, or overpowering desire, which leads us to using even when it has destroyed our lives. The spiritual part of our disease is our total self centeredness." Narcotics Anonymous Basic Text 3rd. Edition- Step 1- page 18