Science of Addiction
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), addiction is "a chronic, relapsing disease, characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, and by neurochemical and molecular changes in the brain." Addiction impairs the body's organs and increases the risk of contracting other diseases. The Science catalog focuses on the disease of addiction and the impact of substance use on brain functioning.
Article
Is addiction a "brain disease"?
Harvard Medical School article by Dr. Michael Beier
In the Harvard Medical School article by Dr. Micahel Beier, he writes, "There are many good reasons to emphasize the biological underpinnings of substance use disorders. Perhaps most important, the biologic basis of this chronic disease is a strong argument for parity: that is, treating (and funding treatment for) addiction on par with other "biologic" diseases."
