Addict

Addiction – it’s a word we think we understand, but actually even the experts have trouble defining it. One in three people suffer from addiction, but what separates substance use from substance abuse? Where does a bad habit end and addiction begin?

We know that addictions start as voluntary behaviour. After all, many of us indulge in alcohol and caffeine without becoming addicts. So what defines an addiction? The charity Action on Addiction describes it as a ‘harmful, recurring compulsion to engage in a particular activity’. The key word here is harmful – addicts will carry on using their drug of choice despite the damage it does to their lives, the people around them and society as a whole.

So why does this happen? Why do addicts persist with such damaging behaviour? Perhaps they’re physically addicted to the drug they use – they might feel they need to take it just to feel normal, and notice withdrawal symptoms when they’re off it. Or they might be psychologically addicted to the feelings the drug produces. But in practice it’s often hard to separate these two aspects of addiction. Are the psychological effects of a drug just down to a change in the chemical balance in the brain?

Join us to find out more about addiction and how it affects the brain. You’ll hear from a former drug addict and others who deal with addiction, and you’ll also get the chance to ask our experts your own questions.

Event organised by:
The European Dana Alliance for the Brain and Imperial College London

Speakers

Kirby Gregory, Action on Addiction
Mehmet Husseyin, former drug addict
Jeff Dalley, Cambridge University

Chairman: Myc Riggulsford