Understanding Drug and Alcohol Addiction

Addiction is defined as compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance (as heroin, nicotine, or alcohol) characterized by tolerance and by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal; broadly : persistent compulsive use of a substance known by the user to be harmful.*

That means there are generally two components to addiction - a set of physical characteristics as well as psychological symptoms. Sometimes one or the other, or the combination of both, are seemingly too unbearable to overcome.

It is important to know that these symptoms, and addiction in its entirety, can be permanently overcome and put in the past with no future symptoms. It is necessary to address each of the aspects in a manner that does not create more problems in the future to ensure a permanent recovery. Addiction is not a life long or incurable brain disease.

Even if the person doesn't consider themselves an "addict," the progressive nature of addiction usually means that their use will increase. As tolerance for the chemical goes up it takes more of it to create the same effect and their body becomes even more dependent on it to get through the day. This is how occasional use becomes more frequent, which then turns into daily use. At this stage large amounts of money and personal belongings are given away for the drug and jobs, friends and family are lost along the way.

Just because and executive hasn't lst everything yet doesn't mean you should wait until he or she does to do something about it. Hitting "rock bottom" is a place nobody wants to be - you can bring that bottom up to him or her so it isn't necessary to lose it all.

*Definition of addiction comes from the Mirriam-Webster online dictionary.