More than 130 million babies are born in the world every year. Arriving in their own unique setting including social, economic, and cultural circumstances. Some (those of whom are fortunate) are welcomed with gratitude and joy, cradled in the arms of their ecstatic parents and family. Others may experience rejection from a mother who dreamed of a different life, crushed by the pressures of poverty or a father caught up in cycle of abuse.

The signs and symptoms of addiction are not always easily identified. The following descriptions provide details of the four phases which were identified by researchers Jean Kinney and Gwen Leaton.