Prevalence of Addictions Article

Addiction

A disorder in which an individual becomes intensely pre-occupied with a behavior that at first provides a desired or appetitive effect. Person is unable to reliably predict when the behavior will occur.

Substance Addiction

Involves direct manipulation of pleasure through the use of products that are ingested into the body, including drug use disorders and food-related disorders.

Process Addiction

Comprises a series of potentially pathological behaviors, that expose individuals to “mood-altering events” by which they acquire pleasure and become dependent

mesolimbic dopomanergic system