Addiction medicine offers a useful framework. Many people use substances without developing addiction. The difference often lies in patterns of use and the role the substance plays in someone’s life.

The terms “addiction” and “dependence” can seem similar, but they are different. Dependence occurs when the body physically relies on a drug. Addiction involves changes in behavior. A person with an ...

This is another one of the basic questions I get regarding addiction. It seems that people think about physical addiction and psychological addiction as somehow separate processes. I think this ...

For decades, the medical and psychological communities have recognized the complex interplay between addiction and obesity. Both conditions share common neurological pathways, behavioral triggers, and ...

Physical dependence is where your body requires opioids to prevent withdrawal. OUD involves an addiction governed by the brain’s reward center, along with problematic patterns of opioid use. It’s ...