By Jennifer McDougall Addiction (defined as a state characterized by compulsive engagement in rewarding stimuli despite adverse consequences) generally begins with the desire to escape—pain, loss, heartache, rejection, discomfort, anxiety, chemical imbalances in the brain, and depression. When drugs and alcohol are consumed they affect how the brain operates andContinue Reading

A Major Underlying Cause of Addiction

Abandonment and substance abuse are extremely complicated issues when considered separately, but most people don’t realize that abandonment is one of the key underlying causes of addiction. Depending on the age, gender, and background of the person experiencing the abandonment, the damage may vary. Common forms of abandonment reported byContinue Reading