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Psychological Dependence
The condition of drug users who need continued use to maintain a state of well-being. It is a dependency of the mind and can lead to a number of withdrawal symptoms associated with psychoactive drug use, including cravings, irritability, insomnia, depression, and anorexia. This results in psychological dysfunction, which replaces normal functioning. Psychological dependence is not limited to substance use, but it can include activities and various behavioral patterns such as gambling, Internet addiction, sexual addiction, and so on. For more information, see Hubbard, Marsden, Rachel, Harwood, Cavanaugh, and Ginzburg, (1989).