Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Addiction


The term "addiction" is used in many contexts to describe an obsession, compulsion, or excessive psychological dependence, such as: drug addiction (e.g. alcoholism), video game addiction, crime, money, work addiction, compulsive overeating, problem gambling, computer addiction, nicotine addiction, pornography addiction, etc.

In medical terminology, an addiction is a state in which the body depends on a substance for normal functioning and may occur along with physical dependence, as in drug addiction. When the drug or substance on which someone is dependent is suddenly removed, it will cause withdrawal, a characteristic set of signs and symptoms. Addiction is generally associated with increased drug tolerance. In physiological terms, addiction is not necessarily associated with substance abuse since this form of addiction can result from using medication as prescribed by a doctor. Physical dependence is different from psychological dependence (addiction). The latter is often characterized by a compulsive need for a drug for psychological reasons, while the former is characterized by need for the drug due to tolerance and the need to prevent withdrawal symptoms on discontinuing the use of a drug. Physical dependence however, commonly occurs with both addiction and therapeutic use of drugs.

However, common usage of the term addiction has spread to include psychological dependence. In this context, the term is used in drug addiction and substance abuse problems, but also refers to behaviors that are not generally recognized by the medical community as problems of addiction, such as compulsive overeating.

The term addiction is also sometimes applied to compulsions that are not substance-related, such as problem gambling and computer addiction. In these kinds of common usages, the term addiction is used to describe a recurring compulsion by an individual to engage in some specific activity, despite harmful consequences, as deemed by the user himself to his or her individual health, mental state or social life.



3 comments:

Unknown on November 24, 2012 at 11:49 AM said...

Drug abuse is a serious concern not only for the addict's family but also for the country. Being a highly addictive drug, heroin needs a strict treatment therapy.
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alfred on January 10, 2013 at 7:45 PM said...

The things that felt so heavenly, after some time, turn into nightmares and the victim faces a lot of physical problems. Quitting the habit of drugs and alcohol is not easy as it sounds because it requires a special attention and treatment.

alcohol rehabilitation centers

Unknown on June 8, 2015 at 10:47 AM said...

you can stop addiction :)

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