Addiction. It's all around us, in our families, coworkers on the job, someone driving down the road under the influence, one of our favorite celebrities in the throes of their own addiction. But what is addiction?
Ancient historians believed it was a punishment of the gods. In more recent history, addiction was attributed to moral failings. Only a few decades ago, did we discover that addiction is really a disease that occurs in the brain. In fact, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) defines addiction as a complex brain disease characterized by compulsive, at times uncontrollable, craving, seeking, and use that persists even in the face of extremely negative consequences. The brain develops a chemical dependency upon substances such as drugs or alcohol. Substance seeking becomes compulsive, in large part, as a result of the effects of prolonged use on brain functioning and on behavior. For many people, addiction becomes chronic, with relapses possible even after long periods of sobriety.
Today, with more knowledge and medical ability, this addiction disease is very treatable. For that reason, we have compiled a library of resources and information to help you understand addiction, what causes substance addiction, and what can be done about it. You can also learn more about chemical dependency, the most common drugs that are abused, and the trends in both addiction and addiction treatment.
Call (800-388-4601) and speak with an Enterhealth admissions specialist today.
