There is substantial scientific support for an adaptive model of addiction. Research reviewed in this article supports the adaptive model's assertions that failure of psychosocial integration precedes addiction; that addiction serves a number of adaptive functions; that addictive behavior is not “out of control”; that drug use generally fits the predictions of coping theory; that addictions are often transitory; that the “lessor evil” assumption of the adaptive model is compatible with current theory; that addictions are often interchangeable; and that the term “adaptive” is defined precisely in the adaptive model. The extensive support for an adaptive model of addiction, in conjunction with the wealth of recent evidence against a disease model of addiction, suggests that a major reformulation of theory about drugs and addiction is underway in the scholarly community.
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