Addiction and Alcoholism - Definitions and Stratagies Select the chip to return to the main navigation page.
Addiction is a primary, progressive, and fatal illness which responds to medical treatment.
If left untreated, addictions result in insanity and premature death. Addiction has also been described as a pathological relationship to a substance, person, behavior or process. The idea that addicts are weak willed or morally corrupt has long ago been debunked. That attitude keeps chemically dependent people from seeking treatment and fosters shame and fear around their illness. Addicts medicate shame, fear, anger and pain.