The prolonged use of drugs/alcohol may lead to the dependence of body upon them. Addiction is the habitual, physiological and psychological dependence on substance or practice which is beyond voluntary control. Addiction is a chronic, progressive and sometimes fatal disorder with both genetic and environmental roots. It manifests as a compulsion that drives an individual to continue to behave in a way that is harmful to self and loved  ones, despite an intense desire to halt that behaviour. Medically, addiction is of three types: tobacco addiction, alcohol addiction and drug addiction.

 

Dependence is the tendency of the body to manifest a characteristic and unpleasant withdrawal syndrome if regular dose of drug or alcohol is abruptly discontinued