Why Kristina Can't Just Quit by Mary Bryan Summary and Analysis

Addiction is physical, psychological, societal, neurological and environmental. Addiction is not a symptom of another disease—it is a primary disease. The disease of addiction causes one to drink in excess or take drugs - not vice versa. But there are signposts along the way on the road to addiction. A history of familial substance abuse, depression, lifestyle and heavy use of tobacco are all preliminary factors that can result in addiction. But these predictors do not necessarily spell addiction - they can be absent in an addicted person. By the same token, an individual with these elements in their past does not necessarily become an addict.

An addict is never cured outright but can be treated by changing behavior and removing people, places, and things...