Almost everybody has an idea of what an addict looks like. For some people the image that is conjured up consists of a homeless person clutching a brown paper bag, for others it is the messy guy at the end of the bar railing against the injustices of life. For addicts who have not dealt with their condition, it is anyone who uses more then them.

Drug Addiction can take many forms including legal drugs (such as alcohol, nicotine and caffeine), street drugs (such as cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine, heroin, ice, ecstasy, GHB, LSD, etc), and prescription drugs (such as the OxyContin Vicodin, Valium, Xanax, Ritalin and Adderall).

However addiction is not limited to the use of drugs and alcohol. Behaviours such as sex, surfing the net, gambling, exercise, working, viewing pornography, eating, shopping and falling in love can also become addictions. Although sometimes more socially acceptable, these addictions can have an equally destructive affect on a person life.

Almost every person who becomes addicted to something was at one time able to use the object of addiction in a 'normal' way. Once that individual crosses the threshold of addiction, the nature of use takes on a self-serving function – ie. they use because they use – there does not appear to be any reason behind it.