What is Addiction?

American Society of Addiction Medicine states, “Addiction is characterized by: inability to consistently abstain, impairment in behavioral control, craving, diminished recognition of significant problems with one’s behaviors and interpersonal relationships, and a dysfunctional response.”


Some addiction is chronic, and some addiction is episodic. Meaning some people will present as addicts when they are really using a drug to mask grief, for example so as he dealt with the grief of losing his wife to divorce, the substance abuse faded away. Some addiction is chronic, with people who suffer chronic addiction: it is important to stay away from substance in order to develop skills to thrive in life. I believe chronic addiction usually happens when an addict begins using during formative years, such as binge drinking in college.

Alcohol abuse in women has risen in relation to women binge drinking in college. Our brains are still developing until about age 25, so this makes sense. There is one show, Intervention, that portrays a woman who was fine with alcohol then in her 40’s developed a serious addiction to alcohol, like a switch was flipped. I think this is important to observe. When using any substance, we are all flirting with disaster, it is Russian Roulette, one day a person is fine with the substance, the next out of control. We see this with alcohol, but I do wonder where it rears it’s ugly head. And then of course, we have an unfortunate pharmaceutical industry that sells heroin coated heroin, and now our families in the United States are reeling with heroin addiction as well.

Couples therapy is so important, the earlier the better. There is evidence that proves couples treatment early on in addiction treatment is not only important but increases the likelihood of what is termed durable recovery, sobriety beyond the first 4-6 years…


“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” – Confucius