If addiction is not a “chronic, relapsing disease” of the brain, then logic indicates that it should be able to be resolved. And that is true. When each of the real factors that cause addiction to occur are thoroughly addressed, the result is a former addict who is not now addicted, who is now healthy and who now can create a productive, enjoy­able life.

To summarize the most common aspects of addiction:

• The person encounters a problem or discomfort in life that he is having trouble dealing with or there is a physical pain or injury

• Peer pressure to use drugs is present • The person decides to use drugs or alcohol to reduce his discomfort derived from the problem or pain, gets relief and assigns a value to the substance

• Drug-related incidents, both good and bad, are recorded in full during drug use and addiction

• Drug residues or metabolites remain in the body for extended periods of time, creating long-lasting changes that affect physical and mental health

• Some stored metabolites are released back into the body during moments of physical or mental stress which can result in a reexperience of the original drug-related incident

• Nutrients are depleted by drug use and poor lifestyle

• Depression due to failures and losses in life and nutritional deficiencies sets in • The addict loses control and commits dishonest acts and then feels guilty

• The addict withdraws from the people he or she has harmed

• To reduce or mask the pain of his misdeeds, ill health and damaged relationships, the addict contin­ues to use drugs or alcohol.

And if all these aspects didn’t make addiction bad enough, if the addict decides he absolutely must give up drugs, he must first pass through the torture of withdrawal.

Eliminating addiction must start with a tolerable with­drawal process and move on to handle all the other major aspects of addiction.