What is addiction
Addiction is a chronic but treatable medical condition, characterized by the continued use of a substance or activity despite it causing clinically significant distress and impairment in one’s life. (Bapat, M. 2025)
Types of addiction
When you say addiction the first thing people think of is alcohol and drugs, but addiction can be towards anything, but in fact that there are two types of addiction: Substance and Non-substance such as behaviour (Cleveland Clinic. 2023)
Substance
Substance addiction can be caused by the use of:
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
- Cannabis
- Hallucinogens (such as PCP and LSD)
- Inhalants (such as paint thinners, aerosol sprays.
- Prescription and non- prescription opioids (such as codeine)
- Tobacco/nicotine such as smoking cigarettes and electronic cigarettes like vaping/e-cigarettes.
Substance use disorders (SUD) can be mild, moderate or severe.
Behaviour
Behavioral addictions can occur with any activity that’s capable of stimulating your brain’s reward system.(Cleveland Clinic. 2023)
Behaviour addiction may be able to be diagnosed. This is more known as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), but in the DSM-5 (which was published in 2013) only recognizes gambling disorder.
Here are examples of potentially addictive activities:
- Gambling
- Eating
- Exercising/diet
- Shopping
- Video gaming
- Internet
- Devices (such as mobile, tablet)
Are neurodivergent people at more risk at developing an addiction of any type?
In my opinion and experiences, YES. We tend to seek dopamine to help us with our mood regulation, pleasure and reward, motivation and learning, motor control, cognitive functions (Guy-Evans, O. 2022) and also we tend to rely on building friendships/relationships online. This could be via gaming with people who have similar interests or just talking to family/friends online so we don’t feel isolated.
The brain chemical that plays a starring role in addiction is the neurotransmitter dopamine. Addictive drugs such as cocaine, heroin, and many others—and eventually, just the anticipation of consuming those agents—cause a flood of dopamine to be released in the nucleus accumbens of the brain, creating an intensely pleasurable sensation. (Psychology Today. 2026)
References
Bapat, M. (2025). What Is Addiction? Causes, Symptoms, Types, and Treatment. [online] Americanaddictioncenters.org. Available at: https://americanaddictioncenters.org/addiction [Accessed 16 Apr 2026].
Cleveland Clinic (2023). Addiction. [online] Cleveland Clinic. Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/6407-addiction [Accessed 16 Apr 2026].
Guy-Evans, O. (2022). The Role of Dopamine as a Neurotransmitter in the Human Brain – Simply Psychology. [online] Simply Psychology. Available at: https://www.simplypsychology.org/the-role-of-dopamine-as-a-neurotransmitter-in-the-human-brain.html [Accessed 16 Apr. 2026].
Psychology Today. (2026). Addiction and the Brain. [online] Available at: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/addiction/addiction-and-the-brain?msockid=0c38e2d00459624a16ebf46f0517635b [Accessed 16 Apr. 2026].
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