Addiction and Recovery Information for Individuals, Families and Health Professionals

What is Addiction?

Answer yes or no to the following seven questions.

  1. Tolerance. Has your use of drugs or alcohol increased over time?
  2. Withdrawal. When you stop using, have you ever experienced physical or emotional withdrawal? Have you had any of the following symptoms: irritability, anxiety, shakes, sweats, nausea, or vomiting?
  3. Difficulty controlling your use. Do you sometimes use more or for a longer time than you would like? Do you sometimes drink to get drunk? Do you stop after a few drink usually, or does one drink lead to more drinks?
  4. Negative consequences. Have you continued to use even though there have been negative consequences to your mood, self-esteem, health, job, or family?
  5. Neglecting or postponing activities. Have you ever put off or reduced social, recreational, work, or household activities because of your use?
  6. Spending significant time or emotional energy. Have you spent a significant amount of time obtaining, using, concealing, planning, or recovering from your use? Have you spend a lot of time thinking about using? Have you ever concealed or minimized your use? Have you ever thought of schemes to avoid getting caught?
  7. Desire to cut down. Have you sometimes thought about cutting down or controlling your use? Have you ever made unsuccessful attempts to cut down or control your use?

If you answered yes to at least 3 of these questions, then you meet the medical definition of addiction. This definition is based on the of American Psychiatric Association (DSM-IV) and the World Health Organization (ICD-10) criteria.(1)

The terms alcohol addiction, alcoholism, and alcohol dependence all mean the same thing. No one term is more serious than the other. Different terms have evolved over the years to overcome the negative stigma of addiction, and to make it easier for people to reach out and ask for help. The same is true for the terms drug addiction and drug dependence. (Reference: www.AddictionsAndRecovery.org)

How Common is Drug and Alcohol Addiction?

Approximately 10% of any population is addicted to drugs or alcohol. Addiction crosses all socio-economic boundaries. 10% of teachers, 10% of plumbers, and 10% of CEOs have an addiction.

Addiction is more common than diabetes, which occurs in approximately 7% of the population.

The Definition of Substance Abuse

Some people aren't addicted to drugs or alcohol, but abuse them. The American Psychiatric Association (DSM-IV) definition of substance abuse is at least one of the following four criteria.

  1. Continued use despite social or interpersonal problems.
  2. Repeated use resulting in failure to fulfill obligations at work, school, or home.
  3. Repeated use resulting in physically hazardous situations.
  4. Use resulting in legal problems.

The Consequences of Addiction

People only stop using when they've suffered enough negative consequences. When you've suffered enough pain and enough regret you'll be ready to stop. After all why stop before that? Addiction feels good.

You're ready to stop your addiction when the two competing qualities of addiction collide. On the one hand, addiction feels good which makes you want to use more. On the other hand, addiction feels so good that you're willing to sacrifice part of your life to have more, and you're willing to experience pain in order to continue using. After a while something has got to give.

The purpose of websites like this is to show you the potential negative consequences of addiction so that you're ready to quit before you've lost everything. You don't have to hit rock bottom. You can imagine what it would be like to hit rock bottom. And that can be enough to motivate you.

The most important consequences of addiction are social, emotional, and psychological. People usually think of the physical and economic consequences of addiction. "I don't have a serious addiction because my health is fine, and I haven't lost my job." But your body usually repairs itself quickly. The health consequences of addiction are often the least important.

As far as work is concerned that's usually the last thing to suffer. You need your work to pay your bills, so that you can continue to use. When your work begins to suffer, you've slipped from being a functioning addict to a non-functioning addict.

The damage addiction does to your relationships and self-esteem takes longer to repair. You've hurt friends and family. You've disappointed yourself. You've traded important things in your life so that you could make more time to use. You've lived a double life. You've seen the hurt in your family's eyes, and the disappointment in your children's faces.

The Cost of Addiction

When you look at the dollars and cents cost of addiction, the figures are mind boggling.

At least twice as many people die from alcoholism in the US every year as die from motor vehicle accidents.(2)

Alcohol intoxication is associated with 40-50% of traffic fatalities, 25-35% of nonfatal motor vehicle injuries, and 64% of fires. Alcohol is present in nearly 50% of homicides, either in the victim or the perpetrator.(3)

Alcohol intoxication is involved in 31% of fatal injuries, and 23% of completed suicides.(4)

One study found that 86 % of homicide offenders, 37 % of assault offenders, and 57 % of men and 27 % of women involved in marital violence were drinking at the time of their offense.(5)

Last Modified: September 26, 2011
Learn what is addiction, the definition of addiction, definition of drug addiction dependence. Learn the DSM criteria and ICD criteria. Definition of drug abuse, what is addiction, and definition of alcohol abuse are included. Drug addiction, drug dependence, drug and alcohol addiction facts information are included. Learn about substance abuse addiction, what is substance abuse addiction, and recovery from substance abuse. Drug abuse, substance abuse, drug and alcohol abuse help and information are included. The content is provided by Dr. Steven M. Melemis addiction medicine specialist.