The word addiction has become synonymous with substance abuse, but there’s so much more to it than that. When we use drugs, we’re not simply behaving irrationally or making a terrible mistake. Rather, we’re suffering from drug addiction, which is a chronic and relapsing mental illness that affects the way our brains and bodies respond to drugs and regulates our natural drive to seek pleasure.

In order to overcome drug addiction, you’ll need to understand the disease and how you can break free from it. This article will help you understand addiction, learn about the steps of recovery, and some of the common red flags that may indicate a substance abuse problem.