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Addiction can cause physical, emotional and psychological harm to those affected by it. [1] The American Society of Addiction Medicine defines addiction as "a treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits , genetics, the environment, and an individual's life experiences.
Psychological dependence develops through consistent and frequent exposure to a stimulus. After sufficient exposure to a stimulus capable of inducing psychological dependence (e.g., drug use), an adaptive state develops that results in the onset of withdrawal symptoms that negatively affect psychological function upon cessation of exposure.
The exact cause of substance abuse is not clear, but there are two predominant theories: either a genetic predisposition or a habit learned from others, which, if addiction develops, manifests itself as a chronic debilitating disease. [8] It is not easy to determine why a person misuses drugs, as there are multiple environmental factors to ...
Unlike negative affect, positive affect is related to addiction in both high and low forms. For example, individuals high in positive affect are more likely to engage in risky behaviour, such as drug use. Individuals with high positive affect in response to use are more likely to seek out substances for hedonic reasons. Conversely, low positive ...
A 2012 study conducted by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University concluded that the U.S. treatment system is in need of a “significant overhaul” and questioned whether the country’s “low levels of care that addiction patients usually do receive constitutes a form of medical malpractice.”
Addiction is classified as a chronic brain disorder by the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM). [5] There are several reasons why people develop an addiction. A predisposition to the addictive qualities of substances may be inherited by some people, making it a genetic circumstance. Another cause for addictions could be the environment.
The knock-on psychological effects of the situation could include a growing sense of claustrophobia, leading to increased heart rates, light-headedness, nausea and panic attacks, which could cause ...
The etymology of the term addiction throughout history has been misunderstood and has taken on various meanings associated with the word. [201] An example is the usage of the word in the religious landscape of early modern Europe. [202] "Addiction" at the time meant "to attach" to something, giving it both positive and negative connotations.