The terms “addiction” and “dependence” can seem similar, but they are different. Dependence occurs when the body physically relies on a drug. Addiction involves changes in behavior. A person with an ...

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American Over the past year and a half, Scientific ...

Most addiction research has focused on reward- and impulsivity-related neurocircuitry. However, the impact of the withdrawal/negative affect stage in the addiction cycle has been somewhat overlooked, ...

Struggling with substance abuse can feel overwhelming, affecting your physical health, mental wellbeing, and relationships.

What’s a medical drug? Ask someone on the street and they’re likely to tell you it’s the kind of thing you take when you’re unwell. This understanding is wrong, as we will see. But after a thorough ...