ADDICTION OVERVIEW
Addiction, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institute of Health, is defined as, “a chronic, relapsing disorder characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use despite adverse consequences.† It is considered a brain disorder, because it involves functional changes to brain circuits involved in reward, stress, and self-control. Those changes may last a long time after a person has stopped taking drugs.”
Clinically, addiction is defined as a chronic, relapsing disorder characterized by compulsive drug or behavior use despite harmful consequences. It involves changes in brain structure and function, particularly in areas related to reward, motivation, memory, and self-control. The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) emphasizes that addiction affects both the brain and behavior, and it is influenced by genetic, psychological, social, and environmental factors. Substance use disorders are formally diagnosed based on specific criteria outlined in the DSM-5, which include patterns of impaired control, social impairment, risky use, and physical dependence (such as tolerance and withdrawal).
But beyond the clinical language, addiction—for many of us—is something far more personal. It can feel like a desperate grasp for relief, a quiet unraveling, or a way of coping that worked—until it didn’t. It doesn’t always look like what people expect. Sometimes it's hidden in high achievement or silence. Sometimes it’s loud and messy. But often, it starts with pain. With trauma. With trying to escape something that felt unbearable, or fill a space that felt too empty.
Recovery, if and when it comes, is not about willpower. It’s about surrender. It’s about honesty, connection, accountability, and learning to live with yourself—without numbing, without running.