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In medical terminology, an addiction is a chronic [[brain|neurobiologic]] disorder that has [[genetic]], psychosocial, and [[environmental]] [[dimensions]] and is characterized by one of the following: the continued use of a substance despite its detrimental effects, impaired control over the use of a drug (compulsive [[behavior]]), and preoccupation with a drug's use for non-therapeutic [[purpose]]s (i.e. craving the drug).[1] Addiction is often accompanied by the [[presence]] of deviant behaviors (for instance stealing [[money]] and forging prescriptions) that are used to obtain a drug.

In medical terminology, an addiction is a chronic [[brain|neurobiologic]] disorder that has [[genetic]], psychosocial, and [[environmental]] [[dimensions]] and is characterized by one of the following: the continued use of a substance despite its detrimental effects, impaired control over the use of a drug (compulsive [[behavior]]), and preoccupation with a drug's use for non-therapeutic [[purpose]]s (i.e. craving the drug).[1] Addiction is often accompanied by the [[presence]] of deviant behaviors (for instance stealing [[money]] and forging prescriptions) that are used to obtain a drug.

 

[[Tolerance]] to a drug and [[physical]] dependence are not defining characteristics of addiction, although they typically accompany addiction to certain drugs. Tolerance is a pharmacologic [[phenomenon]] where the dose of a medication needs to be continually increased in order to maintain its desired effects.[2] For instance, [[individual]]s with severe chronic pain taking opiate medications (like [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morphine morphine]) will need to continually increase the dose in order to maintain the drug's analgesic (pain-relieving) effects. Physical dependence is also a pharmacologic property and means that if a certain drug is abruptly discontinued, an individual will experience certain characteristic [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Withdrawal withdrawal] signs and symptoms.[2] Many drugs used for therapeutic purposes produce withdrawal symptoms when abruptly stopped, for instance oral steroids, certain [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antidepressant antidepressants], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benzodiazepine benzodiazepines], and opiates.

[[Tolerance]] to a drug and [[physical]] dependence are not defining characteristics of addiction, although they typically accompany addiction to certain drugs. Tolerance is a pharmacologic [[phenomenon]] where the dose of a medication needs to be continually increased in order to maintain its desired effects.[2] For instance, [[individual]]s with severe chronic pain taking opiate medications (like [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morphine morphine]) will need to continually increase the dose in order to maintain the drug's analgesic (pain-relieving) effects. Physical dependence is also a pharmacologic property and means that if a certain drug is abruptly discontinued, an individual will experience certain characteristic [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Withdrawal withdrawal] signs and symptoms.[2] Many drugs used for therapeutic purposes produce withdrawal symptoms when abruptly stopped, for instance oral steroids, certain [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antidepressant antidepressants], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benzodiazepine benzodiazepines], and opiates.