Drug dependence is not addiction—and it matters

One thing I'd argue as a starting point is there is no "theory" or a "model" of addiction as a disease. The arguments associated with that claim are actually not that cohesive. A common position associated with addiction as a disease is that it is an essential category, which is an idea we can get our arms around a bit better and which I discuss ab... See more

Addiction broadly defined is the continued and compulsive consumption of a substance or behavior (gambling, gaming, sex) despite its harm to self and/or others.

codependency is not in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; nor has there been substantial research on the concept. Some people may find it to be a useful tool for explaining bad relationship habits, but the term’s popularity also gestures at something worrisome: an avoidance of vulnerability and the natural asymmetries in rel... See more