Addiction in its broadest sense can be defined as the habituation to a practice considered harmful. A more narrow definition of the term refers to chronic use of a chemical substance in spite of severe psychosocial consequences. Terms such as...

The process or state in which an organism needs the presence of a DRUG (including ALCOHOL) to function normally. The concept and definition of addiction has undergone considerable evolution throughout recent history. Central to this process has been...

The American Society of Addiction Medicine (4601 North Park Avenue, Arcade Suite 101, Chevy Chase, MD 20815; 301-656-3920; http://www.asam.org) is a not-forprofit organization of physicians in all medical specialties and subspecialties who devote a...

Addiction is a dependence, on a behavior or substance, that a person is powerless to stop. The term has been partially replaced by the word dependence for substance abuse. Addiction has been extended, however, to include mood-altering behaviors or...

The term 'addiction' was used to describe a devotion, attachment, dedication, inclination, etc. Nowadays, however, the term addiction is used to describe a recurring compulsion by an individual to engage in some specific activity, despite harmful...

An addiction center is opening Europe's first detox clinic for game addicts, offering in-house treatment for people who can't leave their joysticks alone. Video games may look innocent, but they can be as addictive as gambling or drugs _ and...

Central Asia's poorest county is also one of the world's leading transit routes for heroin, opium and other drugs from Afghanistan. Sergei Makhkamov has been caught in the flood."I tried it, I liked it and it went from there," said the haggard, fidgety, out-of-work 24-year-old...

The government appealed Wednesday for Dublin's pharmacists to resume distribution of methadone in a dispute that has threatened the outpatient treatment of more than 3,000 heroin addicts.Health Minister Mary Harney, addressing parliament for the first time since 140 pharmacies stopped filling methadone prescriptions Monday, accused...

The telltale signs are ominous: teens holing up in their rooms, ignoring friends, family, even food and a shower, while grades plummet and belligerence soars. The culprit isn't alcohol or drugs. It's video games, which for certain kids can be as powerfully addictive as heroin,...

“Scientific research into addiction ... has led experts to conclude that addiction is actually a disease, a chronic illness like diabetes or hypertension.” —Janet Firshein, independent health writer and former editor of Medicine and...

“Absent a clear definition of addiction, researchers will continue finding it very difficult to determine addiction prevalence rates, etiology, or the necessary and sufficient causes that stimulate recovery.” —Howard J. Shaffer,...

Illustrates how today's society can be addicted to television, particularly the WB's television show "Charmed."

New theories have come about with regard to the causes of addiction and how it affects us. Everyone has some sort of addictive behavior, but some addictions are obviously more harmful than others. Regardless of why people have addictions, whether it is a lack of self-control or genetic programming, we need to look at this problem with a feeling of hope and to help each other with this problem.