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Re: Addiction : a definition



Hi!

> You were asking people to sumbit their own definition of addiction.  This
> will be interesting to see how others view this.  There is always a
> question between dependency and addiction and how to define each of
those.
> Addiction, I think, involves some aspect of physical need for a drug, but
> also must include the life areas that are affected by the persons
> compulsive behaviors.  So, a person is addicted to a substance if their
> body must have the drug to function normally, and several life areas (ie.
> work, family, relationships, legal issues, medical issues,
> leisure/lifestyle issues, psychological issues, spiritual issues) are
> affected by the persons substance abuse.  There are many people who use
> heavily, but do not seem to be as affected by their drug use as others
> are.  It is a very individual thing.  Dependency, on the other hand, does
> not have to be physical.  A psychological dependency to a drug can be
> created and the person believes that they must have the drug to cope.

You seem to focus on the addiction of drugs, whereby a person's body
"needs" the kind of drug, I believe you left out addiction in other forms,
such as addiction to food, or addiction to a certain behaviour?

Rdgs
Alex