It could be stated that the area of addiction has begun to emerge increasingly as a specialist area. One of the ways in which such a development can be noted is via an increased emphasis on the importance of evidence-based research. For example, Kaufmann (1994) refers to how up to the 1980's, few distinctions were made between different types of substance abusers e.g. drug users and alcoholics; teenagers; older substance abusers; those who choose stimulants versus sedatives, and other variables including class, culture, ethnicity and gender. The focus in this piece pertains to gender and is characterised by the objective of exploring gender-related issues in addiction. Moreover, in what ways do the psychodynamics of the etiology of addiction operate as well as the ways in which psychopathology is gendered.