Addiction vs Dependence Difference and Comparison

Symptoms of dependence can include tolerance, withdrawal, and cravings. APA Services advocates for policies, programs, and funding to improve the prevention and treatment of opioid and other substance use disorders, including nonpharmacological interventions for pain management. Prescribing healthcare providers also need to educate patients about the potential risks so that they will follow their provider’s instructions, safeguard their medications, and dispose of them appropriately, according to NIDA. Treatment for substance use disorder and physical dependence differ, which is why knowing the difference between the two is so important. Walling pointed to Craig Hettlinger, a former Marshall University soccer player who started a recovery program after he stopped using drugs in 2018, as one of the good guys. Hettlinger, 41, runs an in-patient treatment program, operates recovery houses with counseling services and fixes up apartments for people who progress toward independent living.

• Research suggests that no treatment method is superior, but that social support is very important and that organizations such as AA and NA have better than average success rates in reducing relapse.
• Substance abuse occurs with the excessive use or misuse of a drug beyond its intended purpose or prescription.
• We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals.
• Addiction is a state of psychological or physical dependence (or both) on the use of alcohol or other drugs.
• Because of this confusion, some organizations prefer substance use disorder (SUD).
• Consequences can include physical health problems, financial troubles, and strained relationships.

Addiction, on the other hand, is not a predictable drug effect, but rather a disease that occurs in genetically, biologically, and psychosocially vulnerable individuals. When genetics, environment, addiction vs dependence and drug use overlap, addiction may occur. Physical dependence is a natural expected physiological response to drugs such as opioids, benzodiazepines, antidepressants and corticosteroids.

Addiction

In this article, we’ll cover these key concepts and why it’s important to be aware of the differences between them.

• But increasingly in recent years, that view has flip-flopped a bit.
• Let’s look at the nature and progression of substance use that leads to abuse, dependence and addiction.
• If you can’t function properly in the morning without your cup of coffee, it could be that you are caffeine-dependent.
• It has also been suggested that the type of drug used will be strongly influenced by the individual’s characteristic way of relating to the world.
• Addiction, the “worst” of the three if you will, is a mental disease where the user is dependent on the substance and continues to use it despite its harmful effects on the individual or their family.

Using drugs made it harder for her to imagine a life off the street, where she would need to shop and cook or perform tasks beyond “basic survival instincts,” she said. Nearly two-thirds of the homeless people here self-reported that they were struggling with addiction this year. Why have some organizations scrapped addiction from their vocabulary? Well, the phrase carries a negative connotation and is ambiguous, according to the DSM.

The Difference Between Drug Use, Drug Abuse, Drug Dependence, and Drug Addiction

If you believe you have an addiction, it’s never too late to look for help. Working with a health care professional will allow you to explore the options to treat your addiction. Caffeine is an example of a common substance that causes physical dependence. If you can’t function properly in the morning without your cup of coffee, it could be that you are caffeine-dependent. When you miss your morning cup, you might develop physical withdrawal symptoms, like a headache, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and more.

Substance dependence is characterized by tolerance or withdrawal symptoms. Addiction, the “worst” of the three if you will, is a mental disease where the user is dependent on the substance and continues to use it despite its harmful effects on the individual or their family. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers. Enormous difficulties were encountered in trying to apply these definitions of addiction and habituation because of the wide variations in the pattern of use.

How to Determine if You are Dependent or Addicted

It’s a grim scenario that unfortunately is found in many drug abuse cases year after year. For instance, someone who is on a prescription for pain medication may find that he needs increasing amounts of dosage for the medication to work. Some doctors may diagnose this as an increasing tolerance, or it might be disguised as the possible start of an addiction issue. Additionally, misuse of terms can lead to stigma and discrimination. If someone is labeled an “addict” when they are actually struggling with substance abuse, they may face unfair judgment and negative attitudes from others.

‘Dependence’ is a term used to describe a person’s physical and psychological loss of control due to substance abuse. If a person uses many drugs and develops a physical dependence on these drugs, that person is usually described as dependent. That alone isn’t always an https://ecosoberhouse.com/ addiction, but it can accompany addiction. Medical and substance abuse communities have found that there are neurochemical differences between a normal brain and an addict’s brain. There are even perceived differences between addiction versus the abuse of a substance.