What is addiction? Is addiction purely a psychiatric condition of individuals who lack will power? No. Addiction is largly a physiological disorder with roots in genetics and neurochemistry. To truly understand what is addiction, one must understand a bit about what is going on within the neurotransmitters of the brain.
Many people inherit deficiencies in their brain’s neurotransmitter systems. These deficiencies result in various symptoms, one of which, for example, is depression. The symptoms of a particular deficiency an individual inherits can be temporarily relieved by alcohol, or another drug, depending on in which neurotransmitter system the deficiency lies.
That means some individuals, those with these neurotransmitter deficiencies, are more inclined to become addicted to these drugs and alcohol. Most people drink, feel a temporary buzz, and then go back to feeling normal. Others, drink, feel that buzz, and then feel worse than normal, thus the reason the drink starts to look more and more appealing. There are drugs, both prescription and illicit, that have a similar affect.
Dr. Von Stieff’s book, Brain in Balance delves more into the brain science behind addiction, explaining, not only what is addiction, but also why we become addicted, and the best way to alleviate addiction by safely adjusting neurotransmitter levels. You can find his book, Brain In Balance: Understanding the Genetics and Neurochemistry behind Addiction and Sobriety on Amazon, in print, digital, and audio forms.