Addiction is a chronic, treatable medical condition that arises from complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment, and individual life experiences. It is characterised by compulsive or difficult-to-control engagement in substance use or other rewarding behaviours, even when these behaviours cause physical, psychological, or social harm.
At the biological level, addiction involves dysfunction in the brain’s reward, motivation, memory, and behavioural control systems, leading to impaired self-regulation, cravings, and persistent use despite negative consequences. Over time, this can result in cycles of relapse and remission, with the potential for both recovery and recurrence.
While no longer a formal diagnostic term in the WHO ICD-11, “addiction” remains widely used in professional and public health contexts to describe this chronic, relapsing disorder. With appropriate treatment and sustained recovery efforts, individuals can achieve long-term improvement and restoration of health and functioning.
Sources: UPenn; ASAM; SAMHSA_NCBI; Gosnold; Recovery Research Institute; UNODC; HRB