An "addiction" is a broad term generally meaning a psychological obsession or behavioral compulsion to a harmful degree on a substance or a behavior; examples include alcoholism, drug addiction, compulsive gambling, addiction to pornography and sex, etc. In medicine and psychiatry, "addiction" to alcohol and illicit drugs is generally defined as "abuse" and "dependence", with specific diagnostic criteria for each. It is a common knowledge that there are plenty of individuals whose addictions are not substance-related  such as overeating, problem gambling, sexual addiction, etc. but the medical literature has not always recognized these harmful compulsive behaviors in a formal manner.

Psychiatry is the branch of medicine which deals with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of a variety of disorders that affect the mind—mental illnesses. Human minds create  humanity and one`s sense of self, an hence psychiatry deals with disorders which affect the core of human existence. Psychiatry integrates biological, social, and psychological aspects of mental health to provide holistic medical care for a wide range of emotional and behavioral problems. There are many fields in psychiatry such as general adult psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, forensic psychiatry, addiction psychiatry and neuropsychiatry.

Addiction psychiatry is a relatively new addiction to the practice of psychiatric medicine. Its been only in the last few decades that various addictions have started to become recognized as medical disorders and treatments have started to develop in a scietific and research based manner. With increasing understanding of the brain functioning and pathophysiology of addictive disorders the field of addiction psychiatry has made tremedous strides since the middle of the last century with its future being more promising than ever before. This website is a humble attempt to increase not only public knowledge and understanding about the role addiction psychiatrists can play in helping those afflicted with various addictions and mental disorders, but also to provide some key professional resources and updates for professionals practicing in this exciting and rewarding field.