Addiction is one of the most misunderstood conditions in healthcare.
Many people are taught that addiction is about choice, morality, or willpower. Psychiatry tells a very different story. Substance use disorders are driven by neurobiology, trauma exposure, mental health conditions, stress physiology, and environmental risk — not personal failure.
This hub provides a psychiatry-informed foundation for understanding addiction before treatment is discussed. It explains what addiction actually is, how it develops, why some people are more vulnerable than others, and how modern psychiatric care approaches recovery.
Whether you are a patient, family member, clinician, or referral partner, these articles are designed to replace stigma with clarity — and myths with evidence.
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Addiction & Recovery, Addiction Psychiatry, Cannabis & Mental Health, Psychiatry & Medication, Understanding AddictionMarijuana and Mental Health: What Psychiatry Actually Knows (and What Patients Are Rarely Told)
Marijuana is often viewed as harmless — especially when compared to other substances. But psychiatry tells a more nuanced story. Cannabis affects the brain systems responsible for mood, anxiety, motivation, and perception.…
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What Actually Causes Addiction? The Real Factors Behind Substance Use Disorders
This article is part of Understanding Addiction: A Psychiatry-Informed Foundation, a series that explains the neuroscience, psychology, and clinical realities behind substance use disorders. For decades, addiction was misunderstood as a problem…
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The Difference Between Drug Use and Addiction: What People Get Wrong
This article is part of Understanding Addiction: A Psychiatry-Informed Foundation, a series that explains the neuroscience, psychology, and clinical realities behind substance use disorders. One of the biggest misunderstandings in the addiction…
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Addiction & Recovery, Addiction Psychiatry, Medication-Assisted Treatment & Harm Reduction, Understanding AddictionUnderstanding Craving Neurobiology & Medication Options
This article is part of Understanding Addiction: A Psychiatry-Informed Foundation & Medication-Assisted Treatment & Harm Reduction Psychiatry, a series that explains the neuroscience, psychology, and clinical realities behind substance use disorders. A…
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Is Addiction Really a Disease? Understanding the Modern Model
This article is part of Understanding Addiction: A Psychiatry-Informed Foundation, a series that explains the neuroscience, psychology, and clinical realities behind substance use disorders. For generations, people believed addiction was a sign…
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Addiction Psychiatry, PMHNP Role, Psychiatry & Medication, The PMHNP Guide to Addiction Psychiatry, Understanding AddictionWhat a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Actually Does
This article is part of The PMHNP Guide to Addiction Psychiatry, a clinical education series exploring how Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners assess, diagnose, and treat substance use disorders using evidence-based, trauma-informed…
When Understanding Leads to Healing
A clear understanding of addiction helps patients and families move out of shame and into effective care. When substance use is understood as a psychiatric condition, treatment becomes safer, more compassionate, and more successful.
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