An addiction is a chronic dysfunction of the brain system that involves reward, motivation, and memory. It’s about the way your body craves a substance or behavior, especially if it causes a compulsive or obsessive pursuit of “reward” and lack of concern over consequences.

Someone experiencing an addiction will:

• be unable stay away from the substance or stop the addictive behavior
• display a lack of self-control
• have an increased desire for the substance or behavior
• dismiss how their behavior may be causing problems
• lack an emotional response.