Difference Between Drug Dependence And Addiction

Hey friends, hope you all are well and also hope that you all remember the post I shared with you about misuse and abuse of drugs. As I told you that I’ll discuss about drug dependence and addiction and today I’ll. Before that think about that, what for we study, what for we become mature or conscious about life. Do we only live for be in euphoria, to be in a pleasure or to be in a dream. I don’t think so, and by telling you this, I am not telling you not to enjoy in your life. We all want to enjoy this life and everyone should but not by destroying it or by damaging it and most of all no one will want to live their life in a dependent way. So my friends, all I ‘m trying to say that drugs or any other substances are not to make ourselves dependent on it or make addicted of it, all of these things are to cure us or to make our life easy so that we can live our life long and enjoy it as the way we dreamed about it.

All of these saying for, not to dependent or addicted of anything. But before that we should have a clear understanding about dependence and addiction. Dependence and addiction are two very different things. They should not be confused with each other. Addiction or dependence to anything is not something any person wants. Due to medication reasons many people have to take drugs which are necessary for better health and the functioning of their bodies. Their bodies get dependent on the prescribed drugs, but it is not necessary that the dependence changes into addiction.

Dependence:

Dependence of the body on a drug is a physiological state. Dependence can be termed as the body’s physiological need to have the drug. Dependence can be identified by the body showing withdrawal symptoms when the prescribed drug that is being used for long- term treatment is stopped or decreased. It is the way the body shows that it has adapted to the intake of some drugs. If the body does not receive it anymore, it shows negative reactions or consequences. These can happen with blood pressure medications, diabetes medications, painkillers, etc.

 

The physical withdrawal symptoms get controlled after a time. Dependence on drugs does not cause any negative effect on a person’s life or livelihood. In contrast, the usage of such drugs, which may be necessary for their well-being, the person’s life is restored and improved.

A good example of dependence is a heavy coffee drinker's use of caffeine. If you are used to drinking several cups of coffee each day, you soon learn about physical dependence when you miss a day or two. This does not mean you are addicted to the caffeine; it only means your body is surprised not to see what it has come to expect.

 As any diabetic will testify about insulin, or any heart patient will testify about blood pressure medication, dependence is not necessarily indicative of addiction or drug abuse. In fact, regular use of these medications may be essential for good health.

Addiction:

Addiction is a physiological as well as a psychological state. Physiological addiction is treatable by detoxification, but the psychological addiction is far more difficult to treat and is an ongoing struggle for the person addicted. It is a condition where the person compelled to satisfy his needs regardless of the negative consequences. The social functioning of the person is disturbed, who is affected by being addicted to a drug or other substances.

                                                  

Addiction can be identified by:

         -          A person’s drug seeking habits.

         -        Trying to get the addictive substance even though the body is being harmed by   it.

         -          Misusing the substances for pleasure or intoxication.

         -          Withdrawal symptoms shown after stopping the intake.

         -          Disturbed normal life and functioning.

 

Common addictive drugs are barbiturates, alcohol, and morphine and other opioids, especially heroin, which has slightly greater euphorigenic properties than other opium derivatives.

Summary:

1.    Dependence on a medication or drug is a physiological state; addiction on a medication or other substances is a physiological as well as psychological state.

2.    Physiological dependence mat decrease after some time; addiction keeps getting worse in the absence of treatment.

3.    Dependence on a drug is sometimes necessary for the improved functioning of a person. For example, medication for a blood pressure patient makes his life better with the medication. Addiction is the abuse of drugs and other substances, and it makes life worse as the person doesn’t stop taking them even if their life is being affected negatively.

4.    Addiction needs to be treated; dependence does not require treatment.

At the end of this, I think you all now have a good idea about difference between drug dependence and addiction. My main thinking is not only to inform you about the differences but also to warn you about misuse, abuse, dependence and addiction of drugs. So that everyone could aware of these kinds of things, which are happening in our life very now and then accidentally. I hope you all are enjoying and learning from my blog. So keep blogging, stay healthy and share your thoughts with us.