How addiction works in the brain, and why opioids are so dangerously addictive. Addiction destroys lives. In far too many cases, addiction also ends them. Overdose is a leading cause of cause of death ...

Addiction is one of the most intensely studied conditions in modern medicine, yet even with high‑resolution brain scans and genetic tools, scientists still cannot fully explain why some people get ...

Why someone becomes addicted to a substance has long baffled scientists and philosophers. Now leading researchers are getting the clearest picture yet of how addiction works in the brain and body.

First, using an addictive substance causes the release of a chemical messenger called dopamine in the reward network, which ...

Everybody takes for granted that progress in addiction means abstaining from, or at least cutting down, addictive behavior. This is the standard of measurement for addiction treatment facilities and ...

Recently, the term “dopamine detox” has become quite popular across platforms like YouTube and TikTok. This theory suggests that by steering clear of stimulating activities like social media, video ...

Addiction is an umbrella term that reflects qualities of substance use disorder, characterized by an inability to stop using a substance despite harmful consequences. However, addiction is not a ...

For most of my career as an internal medicine physician and hospice specialist, I have been in the business of treating pain. Over time, the field has grown more sophisticated, but one truth has ...