Psychological and physiological dependence on a substance or practice is the medical definition of the term addiction. An addiction is an uncontrollably strong longing for something - an abnormal kinky obsession for things. A person with an addiction is called an addict.

Addiction is in fact a hydra-headed concept having different facets. Medical researches and studies have divulged that every individual to some extent has an addiction. People who have an uncanny pining or obsession for anything, are indeed addicted. Medical studies have also revealed other forms of addiction besides alcohol, nicotine and drugs.

According to the medical community, generally there are two forms of addiction. First there is the physical addiction, or physical dependence and psychological addiction. The second type is called pseudo-addiction.

Physical dependence: An addiction in which the addict becomes physically dependent on intoxicating substances or drugs. People dependent on tobacco or smoking suffer from nicotine addiction. Dipsomaniac people suffer from alcohol addiction.

Drug addiction literally means addiction to certain drugs. A drug addiction is an extreme state of addiction resulting from drug abuse. Drug abuse is a common practice where hard drugs are abused for example cocaine, amphetamines, methamphetamine, opiates (heroin, morphine and codeine) and laxatives - drugs derived from narcotics. There is a debate over the idea that freely-sold substances like alcohol and nicotine should be classified as hard drugs, as the both are linked with high mortality rates.

Psychological addiction: The term literally means getting psychologically addicted to certain things or practices. Sometimes there are people who are highly obsessed with practices like gambling, food, sex, pornography, computer, work, shopping, spending etc. Therefore as absurd as this may sound, these people actually do in fact suffer from gambling addiction, food addiction, sex addiction, porn addiction, computer addiction, work addiction, shopping addiction, and spending addiction respectively. People addicted to food consumption are highly preoccupied with overeating and overeating is food addiction. These people are sometimes mockingly dubbed as food alcoholic. Narcissism is also a form of addiction.

Pseudo-addiction is the state in which a patient manifests drug-seeking behavior similar to psychological addiction; however, the patient experiences genuine pain or other symptoms in such cases. Normal behavior is resumed as soon as the pain has subsided.

The physical dependence on a substance such as drug addiction, nicotine addiction and alcohol addiction can sadly often have direly fatal results.

An addiction in any form is the sign of an abnormality that requires immediate treatment. An addiction is a disorder, but it is treatable. There are numerous addiction help centers or rehabilitation centers providing addiction treatment, all over the world. Standard drug addiction treatment may include behavioral therapy, medication therapy, or a combination of both.

People experiencing any symptoms of addiction should go forward for treatment before their addiction becomes significantly advanced.