What is Addiction?
We answer the most common questions asked about addiction.
These common questions include:
- How addiction is defined
- Its prevalence
- Its causes
- Its impact
- How it feels to suffer from addiction
TERMINOLOGY |
EPIDEMIOLOGY |
ETIOLOGY |
IMPACT |
PHENOMENOLOGY |
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| How is addiction defined?
The Terminology section defines addiction. It also details subtypes and how clinicians diagnose addiction. |
How prevalent is addiction? The Epidemiology section provides estimates of how common substance use disorder is overall, and also among particular demographic sub-groups. |
What causes addiction? The Etiology section summarizes the risk factors for developing a substance use disorder, and the protective factors that help to guard against the development of one. |
What is the impact of addiction? The Impact section summarizes how substance use affects individual and population health, as well as other social and economic ramifications. |
What is it like to be addicted?
The Phenomenology section shares the personal experiences of individuals currently or formerly living with substance use disorder. |
