A Biobehavioral View of Substance Abuse and Addiction

Abstract

This paper examines addiction from a biobehavioral perspective, defining it as repeated use of a substance and/or a compelling involvement in a behavior that directly or indirectly modifies the internal milieu in such a way as to produce immediate reinforcement, but with harmful long-term effects. Using cigarette smoking as an exemplary addiction, we attempt to develop a comprehensive analysis of substance abuse that incorporates both pharmacological and social learning factors. Such a formulation suggests that research strategies involving multivariate analyses will be required if the complexities of addiction are to be satisfactorily addressed. It also has implications for treatment, in suggesting that interventions with both pharmacological and behavioral components are more likely to produce successful outcomes.