Addiction is one of the most destructive public health issues of our time. This behavioral disease has torn families all over California, the country, and the world apart in a growing epidemic that has raged over the past decade. Luckily, the growing damage caused by addiction has also led to further research about addiction, which has led to further understanding of addiction as a brain disease.
Sadly, despite the research that has gone towards understanding the medical reasons that addiction has such a hold over people’s brains, there is still a prevailing attitude of many people that refuses to accept that addiction is a disease, and instead continue to look at it as a moral shortcoming. This has to do with the fact that addiction begins with a voluntary action. However, many people who take this initial action don’t understand how addiction takes hold of lives, and a great deal of addicts were initially hooked on drugs that were actually prescribed to them.
Today, the epidemic of addiction is one of the most pressing issues that faces our communities. However, the key to beating addiction is understanding how it functions, and then working together to take meaningful action. The battle to undo the effects of addiction begin and start with our willingness to actually take on this behavioral disease in ways that matter.
If you want to learn more about addictive substances and how they work, check out our growing list below…