Historically, alcohol and drug dependency was viewed as a sin or a disease. In recent decades, it has been thought to be a maladaptive behavior patterns (Thombs, 1999). I believe that it's a combination of three things: A disease in which people learn to act in immoral ways (Thombs, 1999). A drug is any chemical agent that affects biological function (Thombs, 1999). Some act in the brain, others in organs, and some in several parts of the body at the same time. A psychotropic drug is one that acts in the brain to alter mood, thought process, or behavior. Addictive drugs are defined by the fact that they are self-administered, without medical prescription: repeatedly, compulsively, and even self-destructively (Cohen 1989). Drugs have been classified into seven different families and each affects a different part of the brain. In the past, drug addiction was viewed as a morally reprehensive behavior that addicts could control if only they made the effort. Today, it is argued that drug addictions are in many ways like infectious diseases; some people are infected, but not everyone (http://www.camh.net). There are differing degrees of immunity. Susceptibility depends typically on a complex set of genetic and environmental factors, ethnicity, degree of crowding lack of sanitation, and primarily new users transmit the behavior to their peers.
             Millions of Americans have been trapped by a vicious, biologic phenomenon called addiction. No sane person ever started out intending to become an addict, yet millions of our neighbors are either addicted to chemicals today or may have spent years trying to free themselves from this insidious cycle. Addiction is neither "bad" nor "good". Addiction is a complex disease that involves both biology and behavior (Goldstein 1992). This "high-low" trap involves the relationship between stimulation and sedation (Cohen 1989). Stimulants and sedatives t
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