What is Addiction
Addiction is an obsessive, escalating dependency on substances, people, sex, money, work or other behavior that becomes programmed into the survival part of the brain. It becomes a conditioned response to stress, fear, anxiety, loneliness or withdrawal.
Addiction is a chronic illness, and usually is symptomatic of an underlying biochemical imbalance (too little Serotonin, too much Dopamine, etc.) which becomes aggravated by life’s inevitable stress.
Common criteria for addiction:
- feel powerless to stop at will
- harmful consequences either internal/external
- escalation of use or dependency
- unmanageability in other areas of life internal/external
- withdrawl upon quitting
Treating addiction requires building lasting and caring relationships around a team of professionals dedicated to understanding this complicated illness.
HBO Addiction Film
Website has films and lots of written information!
Addiction project bringing together the nation’s leading experts with award- winning filmmakers, it consists of nine separate segments, including: “Saturday Night in a Dallas ER,” by Jon Alpert; “A Mother’s Desperation,” by Susan Froemke and Albert Maysles; “The Science of Relapse,” by Eugene Jarecki and Susan Froemke; “The Adolescent Addict,” by Kate Davis and David Heilbroner; “Brain Imaging,” by Liz Garbus and Rory Kennedy; “Opiate Addiction: A New Medication,” by D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus; “Topiramate: A Clinical Trial for Alcoholism,” by Alan and Susan Raymond; “Steamfitters Local Union 638,” by Barbara Kopple; and “Insurance Woes,” by Susan Froemke. ADDICTION is produced by John Hoffman and Susan Froemke; executive produced by Sheila Nevins.