Addiction Defined

• What exactly is addiction? 
• Is addiction a choice or are addicted people victims of circumstance?

Episode 6 is the first part of a series about addiction. This episode defines the components of addiction according to generally recognized authorities like the American Society of Addiction Medicine. It also begins to address the question of whether or not addiction is a choice or a disease with a medical basis. 

In this Podcast 

• Three main sources of reputable information (links below)
• The five main components of addiction which are: inability to consistently abstain, impairment in behavioral control, cravings, decreased ability to recognize problems and dysfunctional emotional response. 
• The above five features are qualities that will be present if there is an addiction
• Beginning assertion that addiction is not a choice. That a person says “yes” to feeling good and did not intend on saying yes to addiction. 
• Addicted people are responsible for what they do while they are using. Addiction does not have to be a choice in order for people to be responsible for their actions. 
• The brain science shows us that addiction is a biological problem