[ELI5] Why do people call addica disease?

Question

Don’t diseases manifest in the body or mind? In the case of addictions, isn’t it essentially a reaction to using drugs?
I understand addictions in the sense of preexisting mental illnesses like compulsive behaviors or genetic predispositions passed down in a family tree like alcoholism or schizophrenia.

In: 0

Answer 1

> Don’t diseases manifest in the body or mind?

Yes, and addiction is indeed a mental disorder.