The language of addiction

Whilst the origins of the word ‘addiction’ are complex, as outlined on the slide, the roots of the word lie in the concept of enslavement.^[1,2] In modern use, the concept of addiction is still poorly defined; however, addiction is often used to mean a state in which a person cannot self-regulate consumption of a substance.^[1]

References:
[1] Heilig M, MacKillop J, Martinez D, et al. Addiction as a brain disease revised: why it still matters, and the need for consilience. Neuropsychopharmacology 2021; 46 (10): 1715–1723.

[2] Rosenthal RJ, Faris SB. The etymology and early history of ‘addiction’. Add Res Ther 2019; 27 (5): 437–449.