Addictions
Addiction is a condition in which the body must have a drug to avoid physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms. Addiction’s first stage is dependence, during which the search for a drug dominates an individual’s life. An addict eventually develops tolerance, which forces the person to consume larger and larger doses of the drug to get the same effect.
Adapted from the Encyclopedia of Psychology
What You Can Do
- Understanding How People Change is First Step in Changing Unhealthy Behavior
Stages-of-change research has been used to develop dozens of behavior change programs, including HIV prevention, to help people live longer, healthier lives.
Getting Help
- Find a Psychologist
- Have Your Children Had Their Anti-Smoking Shots?
Attitude Inoculation dramatically reduces teenage smoking rates.
News
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Why do heavy drinkers outlive nondrinkers?
August 30, 2010, TIME Magazine
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Substance use may start in adolescence
August 25, 2010, BBC News
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Friends' alcohol influence may be in your genes
August 3, 2010, USA Today
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College bound? It's time to head off drinking problems
July 19, 2010, The Boston Globe
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Is love addictive?
July 8, 2010, ABC News
Monitor on Psychology Articles
- Kicking the national drug habit
December 2009
- Snuff out tobacco use
June 2009
- New hope for substance abuse treatment
March 2009
Books
- Substance Abuse and Emotion
August 2009
- Addictive Behaviors
October 2008
- Preventing Youth Substance Abuse
August 2006
- Drug Abuse Treatment Through Collaboration
February 2003
