What is Addiction?

In this Narconon drug education video, Bobby Wiggins (Drug Prevention Specialist) answers the question “what is addiction?” in a very simple and concise way. There is much more information about drug addiction but this video gives a basic understanding of the way it works.


  1. What is a drug?
  2. What are the Effects of Drugs on the Mind?
  3. Why Do People Take Drugs?
  4. What is addiction?
  5. Is Alcohol a Drug?
  6. What are the long term effects of weed?
  7. Is ecstasy safe?
  8. What do drugs do?
  9. What do drugs do to your nervous system?
  10. How Long Do Drugs Stay in Your System?

Most drugs aren’t habit forming, true or false?


The actual fact of the matter is when a drug wears off, the person wants more.

I want to take a minute to just describe exactly what happens there.

First of all let’s say this little line here that I’m about to draw represents a person who let’s say he’s just under a little bit under stress. You know. He’s a little nervous, he’s a little stressed out. He takes the drug and what the drug does is it temporarily lifts him out of that stress. The problem is that inside the person’s body, calcium is burnt up, vitamin c, b complex and many, many other nutrients are destroyed. So when this drug wears off, he comes down off this drug. He comes down in a slightly lower condition then when he started, but not enough to really see it.

So if this made him feel better for a while, what do you think he’ll do again? Exactly, tries it again and son-of-a-gun, it lifts him again, but the high isn’t quite as high as it was the first time.

More nutrients burn up in the body and he comes down in a slightly lower condition. Each time he takes that drug, the high isn’t quite as high. Each time he comes down, more of the nutrients in the body are burnt up and he finds himself in a slightly lower condition.

The problem is, is that normally he doesn’t see it. In other words, it’s acting so slow on his body that he can’t see the slow deterioration. After a while, he doesn’t want that drug anymore, he actually needs that drug just to feel normal.

Don’t miss our next in the series, number 5: Alcohol Isn’t A Drug. True or false? Don’t miss it.

If you have more questions on this “what is addiction” video or the Narconon drug education programs, please contact us at 800-737-5250 or email us. Also if you know anyone with a drug problem, we can help you find the closest Narconon center. Ending drug addiction and living drug-free is possible.

Find much more information about drug addiction.

book about drug addiction