“Addiction is a disease of the brain expressed in the form of compulsive behavior,” states Alan Leshner in his article “Addiction is a Disease of the Brain” in the book Drug Abuse: Opposed Viewpoints . Addiction has a variety of meanings depending on your perspective on addiction. According to Dictionary.com, the actual definition of the word addiction is “the state of being enslaved to a habit, practice, or something that is psychologically or physically addictive, such as narcotics, to the point that its cessation causes severe trauma ." Fundamentally, several doctors and therapists consider addiction to be a genetic disease. “Provocative, controversial, undoubtedly incomplete, the dopamine hypothesis provides a basic framework for understanding how a genetically encoded trait – such as the tendency to produce too little dopamine – could intersect with environmental influences to create a serious behavioral disorder. Therapists have long known patients who, in addition to having psychological problems, also abuse drugs. Could their drug problems be linked to some innate strangeness? , page 2 of 8). Considering that addiction is likely a genetic disease, a minority of scientists believe that the word "addiction" is too broad in its denotation. “If addiction means 'compulsive, out-of-control use of a dangerous drug,' is that the same thing as a person being 'addicted' to a cell phone? Scientists cannot work or live with this imprecision." (Erickson, 2 of 253). They believe the word is misunderstood in denotation. “It is important to correct the common misconception that drug use, abuse and addiction are points on a single continuum along which one slides back and forth in time, going from user to addict, at the center of the chart. ....-alcoholism-info.com/Psychological_Effects_of_Alcoholism.html>.Roleff, Tamara L. Drug Abuse Opposing Viewpoints. FarmingtonHills, MI: The Thomas Corporation, 2005. 16-218. Print.Stein, Joel. “My short, ugly life as a bookie.” Time February 12, 2001: 1-2. "The effects of gambling". www.problemgambling.ca. CAMH, 2011. Web. April 7, 2011. The physical and psychological effects of substance abuse: Handout." www.ncsacw.samhsa.gov. National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2004. .Web. April 7, 2011. Types of Addiction and treatments. (2008, December 13. Retrieved from http://www.healthyplace.com/addictions/main/types-of-addictions-and-treatments/menu-id).-1001/