1. The commonality between alcohol and drugs Alcohol and drugs, including addictive substances, have one thing in common: they are both addictive substances that can change a person’s mood and mental state, making them feel euphoric, stimulated or sedated. The abuse and addiction of addictive substances is an important problem that affects people’s health and endangers families and society. Drugs are actually meant to be medicines, except that they cannot be used without a special prescription, otherwise they are illegal. From a medical point of view, legal alcohol and illegal drugs are in the same category, both are addictive substances, both are strongly addictive and harmful, and because of the large base of alcohol users, the burden of disease caused is much higher than that of drugs. In China, about 1 in 11 people have a drinking problem. What alcohol and drugs have in common is that they both cause psychological dependence and physical dependence. Psychological dependence, commonly referred to as mind addiction, is when an addict relies on alcohol or drug use for psychological benefits, such as comfort and euphoria, or to escape from psychological stress, distress, and loneliness. Physical dependence, which is the sudden cessation of alcohol or drug use, or the reduction of dosage, results in physical withdrawal symptoms, such as tremors, vomiting, and in severe cases, seizures and delirium tremens, in alcohol-dependent patients. The body will develop tolerance and become insensitive after long-term drinking or drug use, and can only keep adding more and more to satisfy the addiction and avoid withdrawal symptoms, which is why alcohol addicted patients are drinking more and more. 2. The nature of the addiction problem Why would a person become addicted to alcohol or drugs? The first time one drinks alcohol or uses drugs, it is often out of social pleasure, fun, or social pressure. After drinking alcohol or using drugs more often, one’s physiology and psychology will change. This is the result of the euphoric effect of the addictive substance transmitted to the brain, leading to psychological dependence, which is commonly referred to as “addiction”. After repeated use, the body will develop pathological adaptations and tolerance, and after discontinuing or reducing the dosage, the body will experience discomfort and discomfort, forming physical dependence, or physical addiction. In medical science, alcohol and drug addiction are classified as chronic brain diseases, which are pathological states produced by the action of addictive substances on the body, and addicted patients cannot help themselves to drink and use large amounts of alcohol and drugs for a long time in order to solve their addiction and resist physical addiction.