Mental Health & Substance Use

Addiction

What does Addiction mean?

A substance-use or behavioural disorder characterised by impaired control, craving and continued use despite harm.

U.S. National Library of Medicine
Understanding Medical Words ↗ National Cancer Institute
Cancer Terms Dictionary ↗ CDC
Vaccine Glossary ↗

This is a plain-language Healthway explanation, not an individual diagnosis. The meaning of a term can change with the clinical context in which it appears.