Addiction Is a Pervasive but Surprisingly Misunderstood Disease

For a behavioral health condition that affects millions of Americans, their families and communities, addiction to alcohol or other drugs is widely misunderstood and stigmatized. Simply put, addiction is a disease. The behavioral aspects of the disease are characterized by the continued use of alcohol or other drugs even when that use causes harm or interferes with achieving goals in life. 

You might also hear addiction described as "a disease of the mind, body and spirit." That’s because the condition involves a physical and psychological craving or compulsion to use mood-altering substances, and because recovery from addiction involves physical, psychological and emotional healing.

What Is the Medical Definition of Addiction?

The American Society of Addiction Medicine describes addiction as "a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry." Classification as a "primary disease" means addiction is not the result of some other situation, problem or health issue. For example, addiction is not caused by a bad marriage, financial hardship, a difficult childhood or other co-occurring mental health disorders.

In fact, the number one risk factor for substance use disorder—the medical term for addiction—is genetics. Individuals who have a family history of the disease are at a much greater risk than the general public of developing a substance use disorder. 

Like other chronic diseases such as diabetes, asthma and hypertension, addiction often involves cycles of relapse (recurrence of symptoms) and remission. Other criteria used by the medical community in classifying substance use disorder as a disease include:

• Observable symptoms and signs

• Biological origins

• Predictable progression

• Responsive to treatment

Here are three critical facts you need to know about drug addiction if you’re concerned about yourself or a loved one: 

• It's progressive—if unaddressed, it will get worse

• It's chronic—there is no cure, but it can be successfully managed 

• It's potentially fatal

What Does Science Tell Us about Drug Abuse and Dependence? 

The behavioral health field has struggled for decades to debunk the myths and misconceptions about the nature of drug and alcohol addiction. People with a substance use disorder were thought to be morally flawed and lacking in willpower rather than seen as suffering from a disease. Labels and terms such as "addict" and "alcoholic"—even substance "abuse" and "drug abuse"—persist today and further stigmatize the disease and individuals who have the condition. This language and these views shape society's responses to substance use disorder, treating the condition as a moral failing rather than a complex behavioral health issue, which leads to an emphasis on punishment rather than disease prevention and treatment.

Today, thanks to science and advocacy, our understanding of substance use disorders and addictive behaviors has come a long way, and parity in health care insurance coverage has provided more people with access to effective treatment. 

Despite these advances, misconceptions about why people become addicted or a lack of understanding about how drug use changes the brain persist. Watch the video to learn more about addictive substances and the science of addiction.