Why someone becomes addicted to a substance has long baffled scientists and philosophers. Now leading researchers are getting the clearest picture yet of how addiction works in the brain and body.

It is frequently said that addiction occurs when drugs “hijack” the brain. It’s hard to nail down what that means, but it does rightly suggest that there is an involuntary takeover of the brain that ...

A neuroscientist explains how highly processed foods may be key to “food addiction.” She also reveals some solutions ...

About 27 million American adults, roughly the population of Texas, struggled with alcohol use disorder last year, according to the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. If you or someone you ...

Addiction doesn’t arise in isolation. For many individuals, it follows years of emotional adversity, trauma, nutrient depletion, and gut dysfunction. People experiencing addiction often eat poorly or ...

Imagine that you have two adorable pets: a dog named Harley and a cat named Lucy. They had been abused and were in bad shape when you rescued them from an animal shelter, but you’ve nursed them back ...

Scientists have found that the process of adaptive myelination, which helps the brain learn new skills, can also promote addiction to opioids. Our brains, even in adulthood, continually adapt to what ...

For decades, Americans have been told a simple story about addiction: taking drugs damages the brain—and the earlier in life children start using substances, the more likely they are to progress ...

(CNN) — Teens who spend lots of time on social media have complained of feeling like they can’t pay attention to more important things like homework or time with loved ones. A new study has possibly ...

A recent JAMA Network Open study investigated the efficacy and underlying neural mechanism of mindfulness meditation (MM) intervention for treating adults with Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD). IGD is ...

Addiction expert Dr. Drew warns that trendy "Dry January" and "dopamine detox" resets may signal deeper addiction issues.

This is part of Revenge Week, a series about how vengeance runs America, from the White House to cheating spouses to that bad boss who totally deserved it. Imagine that you have two adorable pets: a ...