American Society of Addiction Medicine Definition of Addiction Revised 2011
August 15, 2011 On August 15, 2011, the American Society of Addiction Medicine released a new definition of addiction that emphasizes that addiction is a chronic brain disorder and a primary disease that needs treatment, management, and monitoring. Addictive behaviors, such as substance use disorders and chemical dependency, are not the result of emotional or psychiatric problems; they are symptoms of the underlying chronic brain disorder. Download the Report . . .
