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Addiction
Alcoholism, Substance Abuse
Causes of Addiction
There are no specific causes of any addiction aside from use of a substance or activity, and there is no way to predict who will become dependent on use.
Any substance or activity that has the capacity to be pleasurable can provide the conditions for addiction.
All addictions impact various neural circuits of the brain, including those related to reward, motivation, and memory.
Recent Posts on Addiction
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Causes Tests
Current Issue
Confessions of a Sociopath
She's successful and charming as well as ruthless and calculating.
Addiction Blogs
Addicted Brains
A neuroscientist examines life on drugs.By Marc Lewis, Ph.D.
Addiction in Society
Addiction—the thematic malady for our society—entails every type of psychological and societal problemBy Stanton Peele, Ph.D., J.D.
All About Addiction
Helping addicts get their lives backBy Adi Jaffe, Ph.D.
Almost Addicted
The slippery slope of recreational drug useBy J. Wesley Boyd, M.D., Ph.D.
Craving
Why we can't seem to get enoughBy Omar Manejwala, M.D.
Drinking Diaries
Alcohol's pleasures and perilsBy Leah Odze Epstein and Caren Osten Gerszberg
Emotional Sobriety
Recovering from substance addiction—without becoming addicted to spirituality.By Ingrid Mathieu, Ph.D.
Ending Addiction for Good
By Constance Scharff, Ph.D., and Richard Taite
