Acetylcholine

to build up in the body, it can provoke toxic reactions, but the liver, under normal cir-
cumstances, breaks it down immediately into harmless substances. However, in certain
Asian populations whose genetic heritage leaves them lacking appropriate enzymes, acetal-
dehyde builds up in their bodies to produce extreme discomfort—rapid flushing, dizzi-
ness, nausea, and vomiting. To produce the same effect in alcoholics to discourage them
from drinking, a drug called Antabuse (disulfiram) that blocks their enzymes from pro-
cessing acetaldehyde is often prescribed. As long as an alcoholic takes the prescribed dose
of Antabuse, he or she will become violently ill if he or she drinks. The medication is a
powerful motivator to abstain from alcohol, but compliance in taking it can be a problem.
In recent decades, some researchers have presented evidence that alcoholics are born
with a metabolic quirk that causes them to process acetaldehyde differently. Unlike Asian
populations that inherit a protective acetaldehyde-related gene, alcoholics inherit a variant
that triggers addictive drug-seeking behavior in the brain. In such people, according to
this theory, acetaldehyde stimulates an overabundance of chemicals called tetrahydroiso-
quinolines, or TIQs (also, THIQs). These are considered addictive in themselves because
they interact with other neurotransmitters to impart a high level of stimulation to the
reward pathway. This produces pleasurable feelings that compel the alcoholic to drink ex-
cessively to recapture them. Although not disproved, this theory has fallen into disfavor
among many experts and has been replaced in recent years by research clarifying other
mechanisms by which drugs and neurotransmitters affect the brain.

Acetylcholine. See Neurotransmitters.

Acomplia. See Medical Marijuana.

Actiq. See Fentanyl.

Adderall. See Dextroamphetamine.

Addiction Addiction is a complex disorder whose principal diagnostic feature is a re-

peated compulsion to take a certain substance or indulge in a certain behavior despite
negative consequences. As an addicted person increasingly begins to rely on the object of
addiction for physical or emotional gratification, he or she tends to neglect other, healthier
aspects of life. It is generally agreed that there are two types of addiction: physical, when
people become addicted to substances like drugs or alcohol, and psychological or behav-
ioral, when people become addicted to activities like gambling or shopping. A behavioral
addiction may also be called a “process” addiction. Although there is some disagreement
over whether behaviors can be addictions in the same sense that drugs can be—some pre-
fer to call such behaviors impulse control disorders or obsessive-compulsive disorders—
the addict’s need to indulge in them despite adverse consequences has led to their popular
identification as addictions.
Both types of addiction initially provide some sort of pleasure, excitement, or gratification—
often a combination of these. Addictions may range from mild to severe in degree; mildly
addicted people may respond quickly to treatment and have relatively little difficulty re-
fraining from the substance or behavior, whereas severely addicted people may be unable
to recover.
Scientific advances over the past 30 to 40 years have revealed that addiction is based
on neurochemical changes that take over or hijack a critical chemical pathway in the

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mesolimbic dopamine system of the brain. Known as the reward pathway, this area is
programmed to respond to certain stimuli such as food or sex with feel-good neurotrans-
mitters, primarily dopamine. Scientists believe that the pleasure these stimuli produce is
how organisms learn to repeat behaviors important for survival, such as eating and repro-
duction. In the case of addictive substances, however, this mechanism can backfire.
When someone ingests an addictive drug or engages in addictive behavior, the affected
neurons are overstimulated to produce an excess of dopamine that the brain perceives as a
significantly more pleasurable experience than that provided by life’s natural rewards. With
repeated exposure to the psychoactive stimulus, the brain compensates by reducing its
neurotransmitter output and producing fewer cellular receptors to receive and transmit
dopamine along the reward pathway. As tolerance develops, the individual begins to re-
quire more of the drug stimulus to achieve the initial effect. Eventually, his or her use or
behavior takes on a compulsive quality as the individual finds him- or herself compelled
to indulge more frequently—not to feel good but to avoid feeling bad. In spite of this, the
person is likely to deny the problem and claim that usage or behavior falls within normal
boundaries. A clear indication that the individual’s judgment is impaired, this denial
becomes a nearly automatic reflex with which one justifies pathological use or behavior.
If the person is unable to indulge, he or she may undergo withdrawal, the physical and
psychological distress that arises as the brain attempts to adjust to the absence of drugs.
Although behavioral addictions generally do not produce the more severe physical
manifestations of withdrawal sometimes seen in substance addictions, individuals suffer-
ing from them may experience a certain level of agitation, restlessness, and depression if
they cannot satisfy their need. Many drugs, such as certain antidepressants, cause physical
dependence in the sense that they rebalance the brain’s neurotransmitters, and their
abrupt withdrawal can lead to distressing symptoms, but these drugs are not addictive
because they do not trigger compulsive use and loss of control.

What Is Addiction?
A consensus exists among most scientists that addiction is the process during which the
brain’s neural pathways—primarily in the mesolimbic dopamine system—are hijacked by
the artificial reward of drugs. It is not clear how certain combinations of genetic, biological,
and environmental factors allow this to happen in some people and not others; what is
known is that, for many, a drug-induced release of dopamine and other neurotransmitters
overrides the brain’s response to normal rewards that support survival, such as food or sex.
This reaction leads to changes in the actual structure of axons and dendrites and alters syn-
apse formation, a dysregulation that begins to affect the addicts’ behavior outside of their
conscious awareness. Although it is not completely understood how this physiological re-
modeling occurs, the distorted neurochemical messages it transmits affect learning, motiva-
tion, and memory. In time, addicts no longer respond to the drug with the same pleasure
but find, instead, that they require the drug to feel normal. As their ability to enjoy other
pleasures decreases and their need for the drug increases, many addicts gradually cease to care
about families, homes, work, school, or health in their single-minded pursuit of the drug.

Indulging in addictive substances or behaviors does not have to occur on a daily basis
for addiction to exist; weekend drinkers or those who go on monthly binges with days of
remission between episodes can be addicted, just as heavy drinkers who have several

3
Addiction

cocktails every night for years are not necessarily addicted if their drinking does not pro-
duce negative consequences and if they are able to stop without difficulty.
Recent research on mice has revealed that dopamine-releasing cells in the brain seem to
learn and remember their hypersecretion of dopamine in response to addictive drugs.
Called long-term potentiation, this cellular memory remains active for some time and
may be part of the basis for craving. Researchers also made the intriguing discovery that
although psychoactive nonaddictive drugs like antidepressants do not potentiate the cells
in the same way, acute stress does. Although stress does not cause addiction, this finding
raises questions about how the relationship of drug exposure and stress could affect the
brain’s chemical threshold for prolonged potentiation and increased vulnerability to addic-
tion. It may also help explain why stress is one of the most powerful threats to abstinence
and recovery.
The American Psychiatric Association (APA), in its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual
of Mental Disorders (DSM) published in 2000, presents criteria widely used by mental health
experts to diagnose addiction and distinguish it from abuse. Although the DSM uses the
term dependence in an effort to remove the stigma associated with the word addiction, this
practice has led to considerable confusion, and increasing pressure is on APA editors to
revert to the term addiction in the next edition of the DSM. Some experts, however, insist
that addiction is a vague, clinically inaccurate term that does not properly distinguish be-
tween the medical disease that true addiction represents and the overindulgence of drugs
or other substances that represents abuse, not addiction. They believe that the term de-
pendence remains appropriate, especially if clear distinctions are made between chemical

Signs of Substance and Behavioral Addictions

• Anticipating the substance or behavior with increased excitement
• Feeling irritable or restless when prevented from indulging in the substance or
behavior
• Devoting increasing amounts of time preparing for the substance use or activity
or recovering from the effects
• Neglecting responsibilities at home, school, or work
• Indulging in the substance or behavior to manage emotions
• Thinking obsessively about the activity
• Seeking out the substance or activity despite the harm it causes (deterioration
of health, complaints from family or coworkers)
• Denying the problem to self and to others despite its obvious negative effects
• Hiding the use or behavior from others
• Suffering blackouts—memory losses while under the influence or an inability
when sober to remember behavior that occurred when under the influence
• Becoming depressed; often a contributory factor in the development of an
addiction, depression is also a result
• Having a history of anxiety or other mental disorder, psychological or physical
abuse, or low self esteem
• Experiencing some form of sexual dysfunction
• Feeling remorse or shame over use of substance(s) or activities associated
with use

4
 Addiction

dependence and physical dependence. Despite this argument, there are indications that
the APA will revert to addiction in the fifth edition of the DSM due to be published in
2012.
Evidence suggests that behavioral addictions tend to occur later in life but substance
addictions usually have an earlier onset stemming from drug or alcohol use during adoles-
cence. Some studies cite instant-onset addiction, when users report that their initial expo-
sure makes them feel normal for the first time in their lives. Whether this phenomenon
represents actual addiction or an unusual reaction to the drug is not yet clear. Late-onset
addictions may occur in adulthood, although the National Institute on Drug Abuse
(NIDA) reports that the likelihood of addiction is much greater among adolescents and
very young adults due to the plasticity of their developing brains.

The Teen Brain on Drugs

According to the National Institute of Mental Health and other scientists studying the im-
pact that drug abuse has on the brain, adolescents are more vulnerable than adults to the
deleterious effects of drugs for three reasons: drugs increase the likelihood of risky behavior;
they prime vulnerable areas of the brain for the development of addiction; and, in the long
term, they can permanently impair mental capacity.
Once a child reaches puberty, the brain begins to thin out excessive brain-cell connec-
tions made when the child was younger and the brain was growing at a rapid rate. This
thinning-out process also helps build longer chains of neural networks that are required
for the more critical analytical thinking that adults require throughout their lives. The prun-
ing can be likened to how a gardener trims out a bush to remove weaker, ineffective
branches to allow the stronger limbs to develop fully so the bush will thrive. A similar pro-
cess in the brain of someone roughly 11 to 25 years old represents a crucial stage of neuro-
logical development.
The final area of the brain to mature is the prefrontal cortex, where higher cognitive
functions and judgment reside. With so many structures in the teenage brain set to “accelerate”
mode, the inhibitory reasoning part of the prefrontal cortex might not engage well enough
to adequately guide behavior. Even in their late teens, adolescents are more impulsive, ag-
gressive, and likely to engage in novel or risky activities than people in their mid to late 20s.
By the time adolescents outgrow their impulsive youth and more reckless behavior, it may be
too late to reverse addictive patterns already laid down in the brain or to undo permanent
damage to cognitive abilities.

Addictions for the most part are chronic, progressive, and highly destructive. Long-
term drug users develop physical health problems, and interpersonal, social, and occupa-
tional relationships break down as well. The ingredients in some drugs that cut or alter
the substance can be toxic; snorting—inhaling powdered forms of a drug—can erode
nasal tissues; stimulants can cause heart attacks or respiratory arrest; and contaminated
needles can transmit HIV and other serious diseases such as malaria, tetanus, blood poi-
soning, or deadly bacterial infections. Drugs can trigger aberrant or violent behavior, and
accidents are common, particularly automobile accidents. About one-half of all highway
fatalities involve alcohol alone.
Behavioral addictions such as eating disorders or sexual addictions that carry a risk of
sexually transmitted diseases seriously compromise health. Others, such as pathological gam-
bling, are devastating in other ways. Gambling addicts can squander a lifetime’s accumulation

5
Addiction

of assets as they chase the next win, neglecting eating, sleeping, families, school, and work
as their lives unravel.
Although their addictive potential varies widely, legal and illegal addictive substances are
generally considered to be narcotics, stimulants, depressants, Cannabis, hallucinogens,
inhalants, anabolic steroids, nicotine, alcohol, and caffeine. Aside from their inherent
chemical properties, factors that affect their addictive liability include the method of admin-
istration as well as the addict’s genetic and environmental background. Addictive behaviors
can arise from normal activities such as gambling, computer usage, sex, shopping and spend-
ing, and exercising, or from aberrant practices like kleptomania (stealing), trichotillomania
(pulling out of one’s hair), self-injury (cutting behaviors), and pyromania (starting fires).

History of Addiction
The identification of certain activities as behavioral addictions is a comparatively recent
event. Substance addiction has always been recognized, ever since humans began using
mind-altering substances. In the 4th century B.C.E., Aristotle (384–322 B.C.E.) referred to
drunkenness as an organic disorder, and discussions of opium addiction have appeared in
medieval documents. Historical references to addiction focus on its negative aspects, al-
though cultural attitudes about the more controlled use of some addictive drugs have been
mixed. At one time, cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamines, and even opium were rou-
tinely prescribed for various conditions, and other drugs, such as peyote, are still in legal use
among certain religious groups. Today, controlled substances such as codeine are prescribed for
pain relief, and Ecstasy is being studied for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder.
Until the middle of the 20th century, addicts were usually shunned by the public or
incarcerated in prisons or mental institutions. To some degree, modern attitudes have not
changed: Many people avoid or ignore homeless addicts on the streets of U.S. cities. Oth-
ers view addiction and the deterioration that accompanies it as behavioral aberrations that
should be addressed with cognitive techniques administered through widely available social
programs. Still others, increasing numbers of laypeople and professionals alike, have come
to regard addiction as an illness. These differing attitudes are reflected in present-day dis-
agreements over whether illegal drug use is best addressed with criminal, behavioral, or
medical measures, or a combination of all three.
Since the 18th century, three models of addiction have emerged to explain the basis of
addiction and to guide treatment strategies to address it: the moral model, the disease model,
and the choice model. The disease model has received the most widespread acceptance in
modern times, although many continue to support aspects of the moral and choice models.
In the United States, Benjamin Rush (1745–1813), a prominent physician, was the
among the first to publicize the addictive potential of alcohol and to suggest that alcoholism
was a disease, countering prevailing attitudes that drink was a nutritious tonic that pro-
moted health. Although Rush did not necessarily favor abstinence, he suggested that ex-
cessive use of distilled spirits as opposed to beer and wine could lead to aggressive and
immoral behaviors. The moral model of addiction arose partly out of this awareness,
which posited that a robust sense of personal responsibility and devotion to spiritual matters
were bulwarks against addiction. The underlying theme of the moral model was that the
person who abused or was addicted to substances was a bad person deserving punishment.
In the 1800s, the moral model helped drive the formation of early temperance societies
that advocated abstinence and stigmatized those who were unable to adhere to their strict
guidelines.

6
 Addiction

In 1825, the Reverend Lyman Beecher (1775–1863) of Litchfield, Connecticut, an

early proponent of temperance, gave a sermon that bridged the gap between morality and
medicine, linking the crime to the disease. In 1830, prominent physician Samuel Wood-
ward (1787–1850) suggested that drunkards be housed in special asylums for treatment of
their “physical disease.” William Sweetser (1797–1875) argued in 1829 that intemperance
affected all the organs of the body, and he was an early believer in the idea not only that
alcoholism involved a physical craving that robbed the individual of choice but also that
the disease was defined by the whole series of physical and social problems it produced.
T. D. Crothers (1842–1918), an editor of the Journal of Inebriety published during the
1870s, argued that the disease presented itself in many manifestations that required highly
individualized treatment to address one’s “constitutional proclivity” toward excessive drug
use. He claimed that inebriety was one of a family group of diseases, of which heredity
was a prominent cause—although “bad surroundings” and “brain shocks” could be con-
tributing factors. The American Association for the Study and Cure of Inebriety, an orga-
nization that pioneered in recognizing alcoholism as a disease, took a position very much
in evidence today: that drunkenness was defined by a pathological need evolving primarily
out of biological causes.
The work of these individuals and organizations helped drive the development of
franchised chains of institutes claiming to cure addiction. The very cures they promul-
gated through their bottled medicines, however, often contained alcohol or opium.
Moreover, cultural views of drug use and addiction developed racist overtones due to the
influx of opium-using Chinese immigrants in the latter half of the 1800s; the U.S. prac-
tice of eating opium was considered a disease whereas the Chinese method of smoking it
was labeled a vice, fueling rising public disagreement about the nature of all excessive
drug use.
The moral model of alcoholism remained entrenched, however, despite the growing
movement to define alcoholism as a disease. In 1874, one of the leaders of the Franklin
Reformatory for Inebriates in Philadelphia renounced the disease concept and called
drunkenness a habitual crime, suggesting that alcohol use was blasphemous. This same
idea was earnestly promulgated by evangelical Christians who placed heavy emphasis on
sin and vice as a cause of drunkenness.
By the beginning of the 1900s, the disease model was overshadowed once again by the
belief that temperance was the best way to eliminate the evils of drugs and reform the
people who used them. In 1914, society’s efforts to marginalize “dope fiends” resulted in
the Harrison Act, which brought narcotics under the control of physicians. In so doing,
legislators unwittingly drove drug distribution underground and produced a criminal ele-
ment more than happy to supply illegal drugs to a demanding public. Even though many
physicians continued to support the disease model of addiction, suffering addicts were
stigmatized with labels such as “carriers” that implied they were passing along dreaded
contagion. Prohibition, a legislative act established with the 18th Amendment to the
U.S. Constitution and in force by 1920, was based on the belief that total abstinence was
the only way to deal with the corrupting influence of alcohol on society, and it banned
alcohol entirely in the United States. Although Prohibition’s failure led to its repeal in
1933 by passing of the 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the moral model still
underlies many cultural attitudes toward addiction that encompass the belief that drug
use is a criminal rather than a medical matter.
In the last half of the 19th century, the state of Minnesota recognized alcoholism as a dis-
ease and even instituted some tax strategies to help pay for a treatment center for alcoholics.

7
Addiction

The disease model received a further seal of approval by E. M. Jellinek (1890–1963) in

the Disease Concept of Alcoholism published in 1960.
Today, as accumulating data and brain-imaging studies reveal more about how addic-
tions start and ultimately affect the brain’s neurochemistry, the disease model has become
widely accepted. The American Medical Association (AMA) declared addiction a disease
in 1956; the NIDA defines it as a progressive, chronic, relapsing—and treatable—brain
disease; and organizations such as the APA, the American Psychological Association, the
American Society of Addiction Medicine, and the National Council on Alcoholism con-
cur. They agree that although underlying physical or mental illness, genetics, and environ-
mental factors coalesce in complex ways in the development of addiction, almost anyone
can become addicted when compulsive behaviors or substance abuse continue long
enough. In many people, especially those with a genetic predisposition, brains repeatedly
exposed to the addictive substance undergo changes that leave users incapable of making
the rational judgments needed to moderate addictive behavior, and so the disease worsens.
Fortunately, some of the newer medications that target addiction-related neurochemistry
in some cases can help restore the brain to normal functioning and reduce or eliminate
craving, a major threat to recovery.
The choice model rejects this aspect of the disease model and suggests that the addict
can adopt a cognitive, or rational, approach in weighing the consequences of addictive
behavior. This model does not necessarily insist on abstinence, taking the view that sub-
stance use can be incorporated into new patterns of behavior that rationally balance a
healthy reward system with the destructive one triggered by drugs. It promotes individually
tailored approaches that combine treatments like medication and acupuncture to address
unique issues facing each addict. The premise is that educating addicts about self-management
techniques and providing other critical support can empower them to overcome addiction
successfully. Disease proponents question why someone who is addicted would choose to
repeat addictive behavior that results in such harm and suffering. Nora Volkow (1956–),
a neurologist and director of the NIDA who firmly adheres to the disease model, has ob-
served that the choice concept is already embodied in the disease model; her implication
is that arguments in support of a separate choice concept are redundant. In 2007, she
noted that many diseases are facilitated by behavioral choices, and addiction is no differ-
ent—just as diabetics facilitate their diabetes by indulging in sugar, addicts facilitate their
addiction by indulging in the addictive substance.
In recognition of the ongoing debate, some specialists have proposed a broad disease
concept that would (1) portray addiction as a group of disorders arising from multiple
causes that vary significantly, (2) define the interrelationship between addiction and other
disorders to develop integrated models of care, (3) delineate the role of personal responsi-
bility and human will in overcoming the disorder, (4) acknowledge a variety of treatment
approaches, and, (5) champion chronic disease management techniques rather than acute
care models. In this way, the disease model can embrace new findings in addiction science,
public health priorities, and the lessons learned from clinical and recovery experience.

Causes of Addiction
One of the most puzzling aspects of addiction is why some people become addicted
and others do not; what is clear is that no one can become addicted to a drug unless he
tries it first. A child who takes a few sips of a parent’s beer may like the pleasurable feelings
that result, but the overwhelming reason most young people indulge in drugs or alcohol

8
 Addiction

Addiction Is a Disease—Comparing Addiction with Type II Diabetes

Many addictions specialists compare addiction with Type II diabetes to illustrate why addic-
tion is considered a disease. Although Type II diabetes is related to imbalances in the body’s
insulin production, it shares key characteristics with addiction in terms of behavioral and
neurological factors.

Characteristic Addiction Type II Diabetes

Early Onset Although certain forms of Although the disease may
addiction, such as alcoholism, not manifest symptoms until
may not manifest discernible adulthood, it is associated with
symptoms until adulthood, obesity and poor eating habits
addiction usually begins with developed in childhood or
childhood or adolescent use adolescence
or abuse
Poor Lifestyle Choices Excessive consumption of Excessive consumption of poor
substances of abuse food selections and lack of
appropriate exercise
Compulsive Behavior Persistent use triggers Persistent consumption of
Arising from Alterations powerful neurological inappropriate foods triggers
to Brain’s Reward responses powerful neurological
Pathway responses
Chronicity A lifelong condition requiring A lifelong condition
careful management to requiring careful management
prevent relapse to prevent relapse
Source: Hanson, Glen R. http://uuhsc.utah.edu/uac

for the first time is peer pressure. Friends urge them to “just try it.” Despite adverse reac-
tions like nausea or dizziness that many first-time users experience, the disinhibitory and
euphoric effects of the drugs encourage adolescents struggling with emotional or peer is-
sues to experiment with them again and again. Some substances are more addictive than
others—heroin, more addicting than alcohol, triggers a greater flood of pleasure-giving
neurotransmitters. Age and gender are factors—males are more susceptible, as are young
people between the ages of 15 to 25. A child or teen is statistically much more likely to
escalate usage into addiction. In fact, according to the NIDA, it is rare for anyone over the
age of 30 to become addicted to alcohol; an alcoholic over age 30 is most likely to have
acquired the disease as a young person, even if primary symptoms do not become appar-
ent until the addict is older. Although young brains are still developing and therefore able
to recovery more readily if the disease is not too advanced, they are also more vulnerable
to the effect of drugs and more likely to develop an addiction.
The tendency of addictions like alcoholism to run in families gave rise to theories for a
genetic basis for the disorder, and subsequent studies have borne these out. In fact, al-
though vulnerability to addiction varies among individuals, a multigenerational history of
addiction can increase someone’s risk 4 to 5 times that of general population. The ability
of modern science to map the human genome has allowed researchers to pinpoint “candi-
date genes” with genetic variations that are implicated in the disorder. How they are
switched on or triggered by environmental stimuli is not yet clear, but isolating them

9
Addiction

Substance Dependence or Abuse in the Past Year among Persons Aged 12 or Older: 2006

could allow scientists to develop drugs that modify their activity and mitigate their contri-
bution to the disease. These findings show that, far from earlier explanations for the origin
of addiction that focused on moral weakness and deficient will power, biology seems to
account for at least half of a person’s predisposition to addiction and environmental influ-
ences largely account for the rest. The latter, particularly among teenagers struggling with
social status and self-image, include peer pressure, family dysfunction, issues with school
or work, social demands, and a permissive culture.
As many as 40 percent of addicts suffer from co-occurring mental illnesses such as
anxiety disorders, depression, or posttraumatic stress syndrome. Affected individuals tend
to self-medicate with substances like alcohol to relieve distressing symptoms or, in more
severe cases, to function at all. Individuals who are compelled to use psychoactive drugs as
medicine are at higher risk for addiction than those who use them solely for recreational
purposes. Besides those with mental disorders, scientists have been able to determine that
certain personality types are more susceptible to addiction—most likely those with antiso-
cial personality disorders or conduct disorders. In addition, it has been shown that the
more quickly a given substance enters the bloodstream, the greater its initial effect; the
greater its effect, the lower the low that follows, and the sooner the addict is using again.

Examples of Risk and Protective Factors

Risk Factors Setting/Domain Protective Factors

Early aggressive behavior Individual Impulse control
Poor social skills Individual Positive relationships
Lack of parental supervision Family Parental monitoring and support
Substance abuse Peer Academic competence
Drug availability School Antidrug use policy
Poverty Community Strong neighborhood attachment

Prevention
Many of the factors that lead to substance abuse and addiction take root in child-
hood and erupt during adolescence when puberty and access present opportunities for
teens to experiment with mood-altering substances. After decades of failed attempts to
deal with this fact through morality-based approaches based on punishment and ostra-
cism, researchers began to develop what are called science-validated programs that are

10
 Addiction

Risk Factors
Any of the following may increase the risk of becoming addicted to drugs or alcohol:

• Having parents or siblings who are addicted to drugs or alcohol

• Being diagnosed with a conduct disorder or exhibiting aggressive behavior
that might indicate a lack of self-control
• Having an untreated attention deficit or hyperactivity disorder
• Being depressed or anxious
• Having experienced trauma, such as exposure to violence or physical or sexual
abuse
• Experiencing a stressful life transition, such as leaving home for the first time,
losing a job, getting divorced, or losing someone close to you
• Having experienced conflict at home with parents, siblings, spouse, or children
• Being exposed to drugs and alcohol and peer pressure to use them
• Using drugs and alcohol before age 14

Source: Hoffman, 2007.

Multiple Risk Factors Can Lead to Addiction

producing positive results. Such programs work to balance preventive factors against risk
factors for drug use by educating and working with young people, both those who use psy-
choactive drugs and those who have not yet begun to experiment with them. Designed to
target various age groups in the school and in the home, science-validated programs have
proved to be effective in reducing teen drug use and consequently are being adopted
throughout the United States.
The NIDA reports that adolescent use of illicit drugs declined by 23.2 percent from
2001 to 2006, due in part to these educational approaches. As the perceived risk rose, use
tended to decline. Since teens sometimes feel that drugs and alcohol are their only coping

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Addiction

Past-Month Binge Drinking and Marijuana Use among Youths Aged 12 to 17, by Perceptions of
Risk: 2006

mechanisms, the NIDA states that it is essential to find ways to prevent them from
abusing the very substances that will warp brain development and derail their ability to
mature physically and emotionally. Protective factors that can reduce the risk of addiction
include parental supervision and support, academic success, and local prevention policies.
Early intervention is critical; by the time most addicts enter treatment, they have been
sick for 20 years. Not only is it tragic for addicts to lose years of emotional and intellectual
growth to their addictions but it also allows the disease to progress.
In a person with a multigenerational history of drug and alcohol abuse, vigilance and a
sensible lifestyle are the best preventive measures. Such individuals should avoid addictive
substances just as someone with diabetes should avoid sugar.

Treatment
As a chronic disease, addiction requires lifelong management. Treatment approaches vary
in both methods and philosophy, due largely to the centuries-old debate about whether
addiction is a disease or a choice. Despite this, most treatment specialists agree that com-
bining medical, behavioral, and motivational techniques tailored to the specific needs and
profile of the individual addict is best. Active participation in groups like Alcoholics
Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous helps some addicts avoid relapse and sustain
recovery for life.
With severe substance addiction, initial detoxification and withdrawal must sometimes
be accomplished under medical supervision. Maintenance medications such as metha-
done or antianxiety drugs (anxiolytics) may be used to help ease the symptoms of
withdrawal and craving, especially since studies have shown that painful withdrawal can
increase an addict’s potential for relapse. The use of other drugs such as naltrexone and
disulfiram can also be helpful because they block the brain’s receptors from responding to
the addictive substance or make the addict very ill if he or she uses drugs.
Behavioral therapy is generally rendered as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), the
development of practical, day-to-day tools to help improve immediate functioning, and in
this regard differs from psychological therapies that focus on long-term causes. CBT may
encompass medication, counseling, and training to help motivate the addict to change
behavior and to develop coping strategies to solve problems, identify harmful patterns of
behavior, and manage situations that could trigger addictive use or behaviors. On a less
formalized basis, these same strategies could arise out of 12-step programs, which tend to

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 Addiction

Common Myths about Addiction

1. Addiction occurs because of a lack of willpower. Although much addiction
treatment involves behavioral therapy, the area of the brain affected is not
under conscious control.
2. Addicts should be punished, not treated. Addicts can recover if they receive
treatment for the neurochemical imbalances in their brain and the altered
function that results. Statistics show that punitive measures do not work.
3. People addicted to one drug are addicted to all drugs. Addicted people may
become more easily addicted to drugs that are chemically similar to one
another, but not necessarily to all drugs.
4. Addicts cannot be treated with medications. Many new medications that target
specific brain receptors can curb craving and boost the effectiveness of other
therapy.
5. Since addiction can be treated with behavioral modification techniques, why
isn’t it just a behavioral problem? Behavioral treatments don’t simply change
behavior; brain scans show that they also change the brain, whose chemistry
and function play essential roles in the development of addiction.

Source: Adapted from Hoffman, 2007.

Statistics
The following drug-use statistics are courtesy of the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) 2006 surveys of drug use and health. For more
statistics, see Appendix D.

Substance Dependence, Abuse, and Treatment

• In 2006, an estimated 22.6 million persons (9.2 percent of the population aged
12 or older) were classified with substance dependence or abuse in the year
prior to the survey based on criteria specified in the 4th edition of the American
Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
(DSM). Of these, 3.2 million were classified with dependence on or abuse of
both alcohol and illicit drugs; 3.8 million were dependent on or abused illicit
drugs but not alcohol; and 15.6 million were dependent on or abused alcohol
but not illicit drugs.
• Between 2002 and 2006, there was no change in the number of persons
with substance dependence or abuse (22.0 million in 2002, 22.6 million in
2006).
• The specific illicit drugs that had the highest levels of past-year dependence
or abuse in 2006 were marijuana (4.2 million), followed by cocaine (1.7 million),
and then pain relievers (1.6 million).

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Addiction

have greater spiritual focus and adhere to the 12 steps outlined by Bill Wilson (1895–
1971) and Dr. Bob Smith (1879–1950), who founded AA in 1935.
Experts stress that it can take at least 90 days of treatment before therapy shows signifi-
cantly positive results. The NIDA recommends that places to start seeking treatment are
the family physician; a psychologist or psychiatrist who specializes in addiction; a pastor;
an employee assistance program; 12–step programs; or county mental health centers.
See also Genetics of Addiction; Pseudoaddiction.

Further Reading
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition,
Text Revision. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association, 2000.
Califano, Joseph A., Jr. High Society: How Substance Abuse Ravages America and What to Do About It.
New York: Perseus Books, 2007.
Engs, Ruth C., ed. Controversies in the Addiction Field. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall-Hunt, 1990.
Erickson, Carlton K. The Science of Addiction: From Neurobiology to Treatment. New York: Norton,
2007.
Grant, Jon E., and Kim, S. W. Stop Me Because I Can’t Stop Myself: Taking Control of Impulsive Behavior.
New York: McGrawHill, 2003.
Halpern, John H. Addiction Is a Disease. Psychiatric Times, October 2002: 19(10), 54–55.
Hanson, Glen R. Substance Abuse Disorders: Diseases of the Mind. Online presentation, The Utah
Addiction Center Web site, July 2007. Retrieved from http://uuhsc.utah.edu/uac
Hoffman, John, and Froemke, Susan, eds. Addiction: Why Can’t They Just Stop? New York: Rodale,
2007.
Home Box Office (HBO). In partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the National
Institute on Drug Abuse, and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Addic-
tion: Why Can’t They Just Stop? Documentary.March 2007.
Hyman, S. E., and Malenka, R. C. Addiction and the Brain: The Neurobiology of Compulsion and
Its Persistence. Nature Reviews Neuroscience 2001: 2(10), 695–703.
Kalivas, Peter, and Volkow, Nora. The Neural Basis of Addiction: A Pathology of Motivation and
Choice. American Journal of Psychiatry August 2005: 162(8), 1403–1413.
Kaminer, Y., Bukstein, O., and Tarter, R. The Teen Addiction Severity Index: Rationale and Reli-
ability. The International Journal of the Addictions 1991: 26, 219–226.
Kauer, Julie A. Addictive Drugs and Stress Trigger a Common Change at VTA Synapses. Neuron
February 2003: 37(4), 549–550.
Ketcham, Katherine, and Pace, Nicholas A. Teens Under the Influence: The Truth About Kids, Alcohol,
and Other Drugs. New York: Ballantine Books, 2003.
Lemanski, Michael. A History of Addiction and Recovery in the United States. Tucson, AZ: See Sharp
Press, 2001.
Lewis, D. C. A Disease Model of Addiction. In Miller, N. S., ed., Principles of Addiction Medicine.
Chevy Chase, MD: American Society on Addiction Medicine, 1993.
Miller, Shannon C. Language and Addiction. American Journal of Psychiatry 2006: 163, 2015.
Moyers, William Cope. Broken: The Story of Addiction and Redemption. New York: Penguin Group,
2006.
National Institute on Drug Abuse. The Science of Addiction: Drugs, Brains, and Behavior. NIH Pub-
lication No. 07-5605, February 2007.
Nestler, Eric, and Malenka, Robert. The Addicted Brain. Scientific American, September 2007.
Retrieved from http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa006&colID=1&articleID=0001E6
32978A1019978A83414B7F0101
Nurnberger, John I., Jr., and Bierut, Laura Jean. Seeking the Connections: Alcoholism and Our
Genes. Scientific American April 2007: 296(4), 46–53.

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 Addiction Liability

Ozelli, Kristin Leutwyler. This Is Your Brain on Food. Scientific American September 2007: 297(3),
84–85.
Pawlowski, Cheryl. Glued to the Tube. Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks, 2000.
Peele, Stanton. Is Gambling an Addiction Like Drug and Alcohol Addiction? . Electronic Journal of
Gambling Issues, February 2001. Retrieved from http://www.camh.net/egambling/issue3/feature/
index.html
Peele, Stanton. 7 Tools to Beat Addiction. New York: Three Rivers Press, 2004.
Potenza, Marc N. Should Addictive Disorders Include NonSubstanceRelated Conditions? Addiction
2006: 101(s1), 142–151.
Schaler, Jeffrey A. Addiction Is a Choice. Psychiatric Times October 2002: 19(10), 54, 62.
Tracy, Sarah, and Acker, Caroline Jean, eds. Altering American Consciousness: The History of Alcohol
and Drug Use in the United States, 1800–2000. Amherst, MA and Boston: University of Massa-
chusetts Press, 2004.
Trimpey, J. Rational Recovery: The New Cure for Substance Addiction. New York: Pocket Books, 1996.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: Surveillance
Summaries. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance—
United States. 2005.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Results from the 2006 National Survey on Drug Use
and Health: National Findings. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration,
Office of Applied Studies. DHHS Publication No. SMA 07-4293, 2007.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial
Research (NIDCR), February 2008. Retrieved from http://www.nidcr.nih.gov
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH):
http://www.nimh.nih.gov
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
(NIAAA), July 2007. Retrieved from http://www.niaaa.nih.gov
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), June
2007. Retrieved from http://www.nida.gov
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA), August 2007. Retrieved from http://www.samhsa.gov
U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), March 2008. Retrieved from
http://www.usdoj.gov/dea
Vaillant, George. The Natural History of Alcoholism Revisited. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University
Press, 1995.
White, William. Addiction as a Disease: Birth of a Concept. Counselor Magazine October 2000:
1(1), 46–51, 73.
White, William. Addiction Disease Concept: Advocates and Critics. Counselor Magazine February
2001, 2(1), 42–46.
White, William. A Disease Concept for the 21st Century. AddictionInfo.com, June 2007. Retrieved
from http://www.addictioninfo.org/articles/1051/1/
A Disease Concept for the 21st Century/Page1.html
White, William. Slaying the Dragon: The History of Addiction Treatment. Bloomington, IL: Chestnut
Health Systems, 1998.
Winters, Ken. Adolescent Brain Development and Drug Abuse. Philadelphia, PA: Treatment Research
Institute, 2008.

Addiction Liability Addiction liability refers to the likelihood that a given substance will
create chemical dependence. The higher the addiction liability, the greater the likelihood
of addiction, although each individual brings unique variables of environment, behavior,
and genetics into the mix. For example, although heroin has, on average, a high addiction
liability compared to marijuana, its potential to addict may be much higher than average

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