Addiction is a disease, according to American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) and reported by the Los Angeles Times. The group adopted a statement that said, “Addiction is a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry.”
The paper reported that drafting the statement took four years and the input of dozens of addiction experts as well as the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The Associated Press reported that the American Society of Addiction Medicine took this step to make it easier for addicted people to get treatment and medical professionals to provide it.
Addiction is typically discussed in terms of behavior; this new definition doesn’t change that; however it does focus the treatment of addiction within the context of providing long-term care with an eye toward managing the condition instead of curing it. The British Daily Mail quoted Dr Michael M. Miller saying, “Addiction is about a lot more than people behaving badly.” Addiction can include alcoholism, drug abuse, gambling or compulsive eating.
The Toronto Sun reported that Miller also said, "At its core, addiction isn't just a social problem or a moral problem or a criminal problem. It's about underlying neurology, not outward actions."
