Addiction Transfer: Why Treating Underlying Causes Is Key

Addiction transfer, also known as cross-addiction or transfer addiction, is what happens when you trade one addiction for another. For example, recovery from alcohol abuse may turn into a reliance on cigarettes. An addiction to food, inhibited by bariatric or gastric bypass surgery, may morph into drug or alcohol use. Cocaine addiction may give way to compulsive gambling, and so forth. But why does addiction transfer happen? If you’re in recovery from addiction, how can you prevent the onset of a new addiction in your life?