Which of the following are indicators of addiction?

• A. Regular exercise improves mood
• B. Craving for drugs, compulsive use, continuing use despite harm, and impaired control over use
• C. Occasional use with no harm
• D. Improved focus with drug use

Answer: (B)

Addiction is characterized by a pattern of loss of control and strong prioritization of drug use over other aspects of life. The key indicators are craving, compulsive use, continuing use despite harm, and impaired control over use. Craving is a powerful urge to use the substance. Compulsive use means the behavior becomes repeated and driven, often despite attempts to stop. Continuing despite harm shows the person keeps using even when it causes physical, social, or legal problems. Impaired control means difficulty limiting intake, taking more than planned, or failing to reduce use over time. Together, these elements reflect a pattern beyond voluntary, controlled use. Regular exercise improving mood, occasional use with no harm, or any supposed focus improvement from drug use are not indicators of addiction.