The Difference between Addiction and Drug Abuse
The words drug abuse and drug dependency are often used interchangeably, but in reality, there is a difference between misuse of a drug and dependency. addiction to drugs comes by abusing them, but there is a lot more to addiction than abusing drugs.
Drug misuse is basically the repeated or uncontrolled use of controlled substances. Another definition that you could use is to say that it is the habitual misuse of a drug. Using drugs for something other than their intended purpose is what this definition includes. You could implement a number of different definition in reality for “drug abuse”, but they all will center around the idea of a drug being used or overused for reasons other than either theraputic or medicinal.
Drug dependency, on the other hand is when the body has an uncontrollable craving for a drug and absence of that drug in a person’s system causes adverse effects such as insomnia, uncontrollable shaking, and nausea. Lots of the drugs out there mess with the way that the brain function and alter it to where it cannot function correctly without the drug.
When a person is addicted to drugs, they continue to use the drug despite adverse health reactions and possible damage to their bodies. This behavior causes them to have complete disregard for their personal health as long as I get that next high or head change and that they need. Quitting for these people just isn’t as simple as “just say no”. This is a time when a person’s drug abuse becomes an addiction and it must be addressed and dealt with.
Knowing the difference between drug misuse and dependency can help you to prevent somebody from escalating to a point. It’s a lot easier to start looking for options for treatment when you know what it is you’re dealing with.
Whether it is you or a friend, or even a loved one that is abusing or addicted to drugs, seeking out a drug treatment program soon and getting them the help that they need will help to take away from the danger of the serious health implications that are involved with this behavior. Treatment can have a profound effect on the drug user as well as on society as a whole. Healing the addicts in our society improves social and psychological functioning and makes for a more peaceful community and world.
In fact, drug misuse is the number one cause of preventable illness and death in the United States. It doesn’t really matter which drug we are talking about, whether it is methamphetamines, heroin, alcohol, cocaine or whatever it be, these drugs cause problems with the human body. It is preventable and education is the first step.
Addiction and drug misuse are plagues for our society. Both dependency and drug abuse have been around forever, and they are likely to be around quite a lot longer, but understanding the difference between these two will allow you to see the signs in someone who is at risk and give you the chance to possibly get them on the road to healing.
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Tags: drug abuse, Drug Addiction, drug rehabilitation, drug use, methamphetamines
