S2 E33: Is Addiction a Disease?

Experts say YES because... Addiction is a medical condition that affects the brain and changes a person’s behavior. It relates to the way your body craves a substance, thing or activity, especially if it causes a compulsive or obsessive pursuit of “reward” and lack of concern over consequences. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, or DSM-5, is the American Psychiatric Association’s gold standard text on mental health. It was crafted by hundreds of mental health experts and is based on decades of research and stands as the definitive cornerstone in the realm of mental health. It meticulously outlines eleven comprehensive criteria for substance use disorders. Like other illnesses, addiction gets worse over time. Similar to stages of cancer, there are levels of severity to describe a substance use disorder, ranging from at-risk to severe. Symptoms fall within four distinct categories. In this episode we will initiate the discussion surrounding addiction as we try to spread the word that addiction is a health condition that is both preventable and treatable.