Research Topic · Peer-Reviewed

Addiction

Addiction is a chronic, relapsing condition characterized by the compulsive use of a substance or engagement in a behavior despite harmful consequences, accompanied by impaired control, craving, and often physical and psychological dependence. It involves changes in brain systems related to reward, motivation, and s…

Curated from this journal's research 📚 12 peer-reviewed articles cited Cited 64× across the literature 🗓 Reviewed June 2026

Overview

Addiction is a chronic, relapsing condition characterized by the compulsive use of a substance or engagement in a behavior despite harmful consequences, accompanied by impaired control, craving, and often physical and psychological dependence. It involves changes in brain systems related to reward, motivation, and self-control, particularly those that respond to neurotransmitters such as dopamine, which help explain why addictive substances and behaviors can be so difficult to stop. Addictions can develop around substances such as alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, as well as around behaviors, and they arise from an interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors, including genetic vulnerability, mental health, environment, and early exposure. The consequences extend beyond the individual to families, communities, and public health, affecting physical and mental well-being, relationships, and economic stability. Effective approaches to addiction emphasize prevention, early intervention, and treatments that may combine behavioral therapies, medications, and social support. Within the scope of the journal Alcohol, which addresses the use, effects, and treatment of alcohol and other addictive substances, this page gathers peer-reviewed, open-access research relevant to addiction, including studies of therapeutic approaches for at-risk adolescents, smoking cessation, and mechanisms of drug dependence.

Research published in this journal

12 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.

How this research is being cited

The 12 articles above have been cited 64 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.

A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Addiction, linking to each citing work.

Editorial oversight

Curated from peer-reviewed research published in Alcohol.

Journal editorial board
Mahmoud El-Mas · Kuwait Borna Relja · Germany Waldemar Wardencki · Poland

This page summarises published research for orientation; it is not medical or professional advice.