Describes a phenomenological approach to the study of personality factors in drug abuse, emphasizing the problem of compulsion, symptom equivalence, and their effects on life-style. The question of whether certain personality traits are indicative of a predisposition to drug addiction (e.g., object dependency or affect defense), the long-range effects of drugs on personality, and implications for treatment are also examined. (67 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)