What it is
Increased tolerance describes the need for progressively larger amounts of a substance or behaviour to achieve the same effect, a defining feature of physical and psychological dependence.
Research-supported
Increased Tolerance
A need for increasing quantities of a substance or intensity of a behaviour to achieve the same effect — a core marker of dependence and addiction.
CategoryNeurological
Reviewed by Ava Gardner · Integrative Health Researcher
26 March 2026
At a glance
Increased Tolerance at a glance
Commonly experienced as
