What is the term for emotional or physiological dependence on a drug, beyond voluntary control?

The term that best describes emotional or physiological dependence on a drug, beyond voluntary control, is addiction. Addiction is characterized by compulsive drug-seeking behavior, continued use despite harmful consequences, and an inability to stop using the substance even when faced with negative effects on one’s health and well-being. This phenomenon encompasses both physical dependence, where the body adapts to the substance and experiences withdrawal symptoms in its absence, and psychological dependence, where intense cravings and mental preoccupation with the drug occur.

Dependence generally refers to a state where an individual requires the substance to function normally, but it does not inherently encompass the loss of control associated with addiction. Withdrawal refers specifically to the symptoms experienced when reducing or stopping drug use after dependence has developed. Habituation, on the other hand, refers to a form of learning where an organism decreases its response to a repeated stimulus, which does not necessarily equate to the complex behaviors and consequences associated with addiction.