Qu'est-ce qu'une addiction?

Abstract

An addiction can be described as an irresistible tendency to execute a behaviour. The accomplishment of this behaviour will immediately induce an intense feeling of well being or relief. One can between addictions that are motivated by the administration of a chemical substance from totally behavioural addictions. In all addictions, there is an activation of the brain-reward circuit, the initial function of which being to support motivation for various homeostatic functions of the body. However, this circuit for motivation is not sufficient to maintain addiction. An addiction also depends on the loss of control abilities and on a dysregulation of the emotional system. Quite often indeed, the addictive behaviour will serve as an element for emotion regulation.