Addiction affects people from all walks of life-presidents struggling to stop smoking, doctors dependent on pain pills, elderly widows who gamble too much, and teenagers abusing stimulant drugs.

Addiction affects people from all walks of life-presidents struggling to stop smoking, doctors dependent on pain pills, elderly widows who gamble too much, and teenagers abusing stimulant drugs. Nearly a quarter of Americans have a nicotine addiction at one point or another, and more than one in seven grapple with a drugor alcohol use disorder. Overcoming Addiction:
For many years, experts believed that addiction was possible only to powerful drugs or alcohol. More recently, they have recognized that excessive behaviors such as gambling, shopping, and sex also can lead to addiction. What's common to all addictions is the brain's response to pleasurable experiences, no matter what their source. Genetic research has uncovered that some people are predisposed to addiction in general, but not to a specific type. In other words, addiction is a disorder that manifests itself in many different ways.

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