Is Addiction Really a Disease?

This is a question which confounds even those who accept alcoholism and drug abuse as health conditions. For many, the stumbling block for understanding the disease concept of addiction is ‘choice’ - does the affected person choses to drink or use? This dilemma can perpetuate a believe that addiction is a moral or character defect.

At the 2022 CADA Conference, I attended the presentation of Kevin McCauley, M.D. Over the years, I have attended numerous lectures on the topic of addiction. Never have I heard a clearer and more concise explanation of the disease processes of addiction. Understanding addiction is necessary for effective intervention and treatment of substance abuse. Below is a link to a video presentation by Kevin McCauley, M.D. on the neuroscience of addiction.