---
id:"kb-2026-00428"
title:"Addiction Science"
schema_type:"TechArticle"
category:"health"
language:"en"
confidence:"high"
last_verified:"2026-05-22"
generation_method:"ai_assisted"
ai_models:["claude-opus"]
derived_from_human_seed:true
primary_sources:
  - title:"In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts (Gabor Maté)"
    type:"book"
    year:2008
    url:"https://drgabormate.com/book/in-the-realm-of-hungry-ghosts/"
    institution:"North Atlantic Books"
secondary_sources:
  - title: "MDN Web Docs — HTTP"
    type: "documentation"
    year: 2026
    url: "https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP"
    institution: "Mozilla"
completeness: 0.88
ai_citations:
  last_citation_check:"2026-05-22"
---

## TL;DR

Addiction is a chronic brain disease characterized by compulsive substance use despite harmful consequences. It hijacks the brain's reward system (dopamine pathway). Addiction is not a moral failing — it has genetic (40-60% heritability), environmental, and neurobiological roots. Treatment: medication-assisted therapy, CBT, support groups.

## Core Explanation

Dopamine: the craving molecule — all addictive substances increase it. Tolerance: need more for same effect. Withdrawal: absence causes opposite of drug effect. Most addictive substances (ranking): heroin, cocaine, nicotine, alcohol, methamphetamine. MAT: methadone/buprenorphine for opioids. Harm reduction: needle exchanges, supervised injection sites. 'The opposite of addiction is connection' (Johann Hari).

## Further Reading

- [In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts (Gabor Maté)](https://drgabormate.com/book/in-the-realm-of-hungry-ghosts/)