How Would You Define “Addiction”?

Question by mandybethg: How would you define “Addiction”?
I don’t mean a dictionary definition. But at what point would you say someone is addicted to something? Drugs, alcohol, food, etc.

Best answer:

Answer by peanut
When they become powerless to control their usage and their life has become unmanageable.

Answer by Pastor
A wise person once told me that addiction is the pursuit of happiness in the absence of freedom. It is when you are always trying to get that first feeling of a drug or substance, but you can’t stop. Someone is addicted when no matter how hard they try they can’t give something up on their own, and then they rationalize why they can’t do it.

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Throughout the hearing, lawmakers and state officials ranging from Public Health Commissioner Cheryl Bartlett to Department of Corrections Commissioner Luis Spencer sought to define drug addiction and substance abuse primarily as a medical issue.
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