Defining "addiction."

Abstract

For centuries, the word "addiction" meant being "given over" or devoted to something. However, the 19th century temperance and anti-opium movements used it in a more restrictive way, linking "addiction" to drugs, to illness or vice, and to withdrawal symptoms and tolerance. Both the traditional and restrictive meanings survived into the present. In the ensuing uncertainty about its meaning, some authorities now wish to replace "addiction" with substitute terms like "drug dependence", "substance abuse", etc. We hope to show that the term "addiction" is too valuable to discard. Its traditional sense designates the profoundly important, albeit sometimes harmful, capacity of people to become "given over." On the other hand, the restrictive meaning refers only to a special case, which is defined arbitrarily and inconsistently. It is outmoded because of these problems. The traditional meaning remains useful, but can be improved by clarifying the distinction between "positive" and "negative" addictions originally proposed by Glasser (1976).

Internet Addiction, Locus of Control and Resilience

“…The concept of "addiction" evolved from "addicere" in Latin, which implies "bound to" or "enslaved by" (Potenza, 2006). The addiction as a notion was initially used as a non-specific reference to distinct social behaviours, referring to the state of being "given" or involved intensively in any activity (Alexander & Schweighofer, 1988). Addiction is conventionally portrayed as a status of physical and psychological dependence on psychoactive substances such as heroin, alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.…”

The place of volition in addiction: Differing approaches and their implications for policy and service provision

“…Within research, policy and service provision, definitions of addiction draw on a wide range of theoretical assumptions and explanatory models , reflecting the multidisciplinary nature of the field of addiction, which includes contributions from medicine, psychology, psychiatry, pharmacology, law and the social sciences. Indeed, this diversity has led some to question addiction's value as a conceptual tool and has stimulated long‐running debates over terminology and definitions [e.g. ].…”

Compulsive Eating and Substance Abuse Factors Among African-American Community College Students

“…As temperance and related popular social movements gained in influence toward the end of the nineteenth century, a negative meaning was attached to notions of alcoholism and drug addiction by suggesting that they were unhealthy and otherwise bad or evil (Gusfield, 1963;Bernard, 1987;Alexander & Schweighofer, 1988). E. M. Jellinek (1952Jellinek ( , 1960 proposed a common pattern of behavioral and physiological symptom formation with the possibility of subsequent recovery, which has come to be known as the disease concept of alcoholism.…”