Drug Addiction – Simply Defined
Addiction is a chronic, relapsing brain disease defined by a physical and psychological dependence on drugs, alcohol or a behavior. When an addictive disorder has formed, a person will pursue their toxic habits despite putting themselves or others in harm’s way.
While it can be tempting to try a drug or addictive activity for the first time, it’s all too easy for things to go south – especially in the case of drug and alcohol abuse. When a person consumes a substance repeatedly over time, they begin building a tolerance. A tolerance occurs when you need to use larger amounts of drugs or alcohol to achieve the same effects as when you started.
Prolonged substance abuse can result in a dangerous cycle of drug addiction or substance use disorder — where a person needs to continue using drugs or alcohol in order to avoid the uncomfortable symptoms of withdrawal brought on …
