Addiction

Occurs when a person has become physically or psychologically dependent on a substance following repeated use over time.

Alcoholism

Someone who is physically addicted to alcohol.

Anorexia Nervosa

An obsessive disorder amounting to self-starvation.

Binge Eating Disorder

A disorder where you eat a lot of food in one sitting.

Bingeing

Out-of-control reaction of the body to restore weight, and the purge phase as an effort to regain control over weight.

Bulimia

Characterized by alternating cycles of binge eating and purging through such techniques as vomiting, laxative abuse, extreme dieting or fasting, and drug or alcohol abuse.

Controlled Drinking

Having control over your drinking and not drinking too much or becoming addicted to alcohol.

Craving

A strong desire to engage in a behavior or consume a substance.

Detoxification

Getting all the alcohol out of the body and no more drinking anymore.

Obesity

Being over-weight.

Passive Smoking

Being around/living with someone who smokes and being exposed to it.

Physical Dependence

When the body has adjusted to the substance and incorporates the use of that substance into the normal functioning of the body's tissues.

Placebo Drinking

Receiving the same reaction as if you were drinking something with alcohol.

Problem Drinking

The daily need for drinking alcohol.

Self-Help Aids

Helping smokers quit on their own.

Set Point Theory of Weight

The idea that each individual has an ideal biological weight, which cannot be greatly modified.

Smoking Prevention Programs

Aim to catch potential smokers in an effort to prevent them from smoking.

Stress Eating

People who eat in response to stress.

Tolerance

The process by which the body increasingly adapts to the use of the substance.

Withdrawal

Refers to the unpleasant symptoms that people experience when they stop using a substance on which they have become dependent.

Weight Stigma

Obese people are perceived to be unattractive and insecure, and so people keep their distance.

Yo-Yo Dieting

Successive cycles of dieting and weight gain.