The root of any addiction or compulsion is deprivation-- deep-seated, buried, chronic deprivation. The link is often not apparent in the beginning, and the idea of losing the need to control to gain control might seem too contradictory to fathom, especially when we are in the midst of a painful addiction.

Drug rehabilitation is the most effective treatment for dependency on psychoactive substances such as alcohol, prescription drugs, and street drugs including cocaine, heroin or amphetamines. Treatment includes medication for depression or other disorders, counseling by experts and sharing of experience with other addicts.