October 19, 2025

Gambling Disorder

If we retrace this brief overview of addiction-related conditions, I previously explained how not only substances can trigger the reward circuits, but also certain behaviors. I also mentioned that the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) describes only one type of non-substance-related disorder, namely Gambling Disorder.

October 12, 2025

Substance-Related Disorders

In the previous posts, we looked at some introductory concepts for Substance-Related Disorders, namely: the reward circuit and addiction. The clinical framework of these disorders is complex but also repetitive. I say this because the criteria used to diagnose, for example, an alcohol use disorder or a cannabis use disorder are quite similar—the main differences lie in the physical symptoms that develop in cases of intoxication and withdrawal from one substance versus another.

October 05, 2025

Addiction

In the previous post, I introduced the concept of addiction, simplifying it like this: the substances that can cause addiction have in common the activation of the reward circuit. Before moving into the clinical aspects, I think it’s useful to first familiarize ourselves with some important terms: tolerance, intoxication, withdrawal, and craving.