Factors such as peer pressure, physical and sexual abuse, early exposure to drugs, stress, and parental guidance can greatly affect a person's likelihood of drug use and addiction. Development. Genetic and environmental factors interact with critical developmental stages in a person's life to affect addiction risk.

Alcohol use can actually make physical changes in the brain's chemistry and functioning, which plays a big part in what makes alcohol addictive. The brain's reward and pleasure centers are overloaded, and the user experiences cravings to repeat those experiences.

One of the core concepts within the biological model of addiction is the reinforcing effects of substance use. This is the idea that the biological effects of a substance cause a person to experience a positive sensation. And in turn, it makes them want to repeat the experience.

Addiction exerts a long and powerful influence on the brain that manifests in three distinct ways: craving for the object of addiction, loss of control over its use, and continuing involvement with it despite adverse consequences.

To separate addiction from other neurological disorders, experts say that four factors must be present. These four factors, compulsion, craving, consequences and control, are unique to addiction alone and are classified as the 4 C's. The behaviors of most addicts are very similar.

As a concept, the four Cs of addiction was created to distill the disease of addiction to its most fundamental parts, which are compulsion, cravings, consequence, and control. They have since become a useful way to accurately describe or even identify addiction.

There are four types of drinker – which one are you?

• Social drinking. To date, nearly all the research on drinking motives has been done on teens and young adults.
• Drinking to conform.
• Drinking for enhancement.
• Drinking to cope.

The 'moral model' holds that the root cause of problematic AOD use is an individual's inherent moral weakness and lack of will power. This view has also been applied to particular communities and even races of people.

Addiction is a treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment, and an individual's life experiences. People with addiction use substances or engage in behaviors that become compulsive and often continue despite harmful consequences.

For example, a person who is addicted to wealth and power may resort to gambling, overeating, drugs and alcohol, pornography or other unhealthy sexual practices to achieve the pleasurable feelings that the brain craves.

The Main Components of Addiction

• The Reward System. The foremost component of addiction is the neurological reward system.
• Dependence. Dependence is closely related to tolerance, another key component of addiction.
• Tolerance.
• Withdrawals.
• Cravings.
• Loss of Control.

5-Step' is a non-judgemental, non-directive problem solving intervention, which recognises that family members are experts in their circumstances and can play a central role in the course and outcome of their loved one's alcohol or drug problems.

Authors Sussman and Sussman (2011) conduct a literature search to determine the definition of addiction, landing on and further defining five common elements: (1) feeling different; (2) preoccupation with the behavior; (3) temporary satiation; (4) loss of control; and, (5) negative consequences.

Well-supported evidence suggests that the addiction process involves a three-stage cycle: binge/intoxication, withdrawal/negative affect, and preoccupation/anticipation.