One of the first problems of any illness is fear and ignorance We need to know  what is happening to us. This is especially the case with addiction, which affects both brain and body, warping the mind and behaviors of the sufferer and leaving them and their close ones emotionally and intellectually bewildered, terrified and angry.  With any illness the most frequent questions we ask the doctor is "what is it?", "how did I get it", and "what causes it". Once we know something of what we are dealing with, we feel somewhat better equipped to fight or at least deal with it. Without knowledge of how addictions  are caused overcoming them ca be like fighting phantoms. "Knowledge is Power" as the saying goes. The scientific articles below are intended to help those who wish to study the illness further to acquire greater self-empowerment in the struggle to overcome addiction and sustain sobriety.

Feature Article : Discover Magazine

http://www.discover.com/science_news/gthere.html?article=mindscience.html

ADDICTION GENERAL
Addictions for Non-Scientists
http://www.utexas.edu/research/asrec/addiction.html

Biochemical causes of Addiction
http://www.sciam.com/explorations/112497addiction/

Kenneth Blum PhD - 
Reward Deficiency Syndrome
http://www.sigmaxi.org/amsci/Articles/96Articles/Blum-full.html

Scientific American 
http://www.sciam.com/explorations/112497addiction/

Addiction & Withdrawal http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m3225/9_61/62829034/p1/article.jhtml

Genetics http://alcoholism.about.com/health/alcoholism/cs/genetics/index