Addiction and Dependence

Addiction is a complex issue that involves the brain and the body. It also leads to a lot of poor choices, secrets and lies. For some, it's hard to understand why we call addiction a "disease." So let's take a few minutes to learn about it.

This is a physical condition. It's a change in your brain after you use a drug over and over again. Nerve cells in your brain, called "neurons," get used to the drug. They adapt to it. These cells begin to need the drug to function normally. And taking the drug away causes discomfort or pain. We call this "withdrawal."

Many people who have a mental health disorder also have a substance use disorder. A person with depression may also abuse alcohol. A person who has schizophrenia may also be a drug user.