What is “addiction”? Addiction” refers to a person’s increasing need for a substance that makes him or her feel comfortable after taking it, and then feel uncomfortable if he or she does not use it for a period of time, such as addiction to cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, and medicines. Why do people become addicted? There is a “reward center” in the human brain, which releases a chemical called “dopamine” when a person is happy. The brain responds to this stimulation by releasing less dopamine itself, so when the drug is not available, it becomes unpleasant. Psychotropic drugs are not addictive! Psychiatric drugs are collectively called “psychotropic drugs” and there are four types of psychotropic drugs in common use: antipsychotics, antidepressants, antimanic drugs and anxiolytics. These psychotropic drugs have different mechanisms of action, but none of them stimulate the “reward center” to achieve therapeutic effects. Why can’t I stop taking psychotropic drugs? If psychotropic drugs are not addictive, then why do they not stop? This phenomenon is not caused by drugs, but by the chronic and recurring nature of mental illness itself. Many patients relapse after treatment and some relapse with more severe symptoms; in addition, some patients have persistent and unstable symptoms. The chronic and recurring nature of mental illness determines the principles of treatment: early detection and early treatment on the one hand, and consolidation of treatment after improvement and maintenance treatment after recovery on the other. Therefore, the phenomenon seen by patients and their families: “after taking psychotropic drugs, they can’t stop” is for two reasons: first, the disease is not effectively controlled, and the disease is chronic; second, the disease has been cured, but maintenance treatment is still needed to prevent relapse.