Definition:
Drug addiction is defined as a chronic, relapsing disorder characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use despite adverse consequences. It is considered a brain disorder, because it involves functional changes to brain circuits involved in reward, stress, and self-control, and those changes may last a lifetime after a person has stopped taking drugs. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-V) refers to drug addiction as substance use disorders.
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