Risk and protective factors may be either environmental or biological. As the medical and scientific discussion on these terms has progressed in recent years, both are now considered as part of a larger grouping; that of substance use disorder. When symptoms of both physical and mental dependence addiction vs dependence are obvious, it usually indicates that addiction is present. However, the primary characteristic that determines it’s an addiction and not dependence is the combination of both physical and mental dependence. It causes uncontrollable behavior when it comes to getting and using the drug of choice.
Clinicians, however, pointed out that the word ‘dependence’ was already in use to mean something completely different and normal. After much discussion and debate, the word ‘dependence’ was chosen by the margin of a single vote. Consider the case of an emerging marijuana smoker or pill-taker.
Addiction vs. dependence
Working with a health care professional will allow you to explore the options to treat your addiction. People used to believe that addiction only happened in certain areas, like in inner cities, or among specific groups of people, like those who were down and out. But addictions can happen anywhere, from college campuses to rural and suburban towns. And anyone can become addicted, from people experiencing homelessness to business executives. Addictions can start slowly as people experiment with different types of drugs.
After I cleared it with my doctor, I recently stopped taking Diltiazem, which a cardiologist prescribed because I was having brief episodes of tachycardia. However, treatment programs occur in various settings for different lengths of time. Addiction treatment is the best way to get help and overcome dependency or addiction. However, the desire to avoid withdrawal is what can eventually lead to addiction. The International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) also recognizes gaming disorder.
Stages of Substance Use
Addiction and dependence are two separate conditions relating to substance abuse. Yet because the terms are used interchangeably, the line between them often gets blurred. Addiction is a physiological or psychological need for a habit-forming substance, behavior, or activity. When someone is dependent, their body adapts to a drug and requires more of it to achieve the same effect.
- Clinicians, however, pointed out that the word ‘dependence’ was already in use to mean something completely different and normal.
- Many people who use the term “dependence” are referring to physical dependence.
- It’s hard to know just how much it decreases the panic attacks, but they’ve become less frequent.
- The International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) also recognizes gaming disorder.
- New interventions are improving chances of recovery from addictions.
- If that history lesson sounded confusing, that’s because it is, and there’s no way to simplify what happened.
Can I alter my daily relief for the betterment of forever relief. APA’s Division 28 promotes teaching, research, and dissemination https://ecosoberhouse.com/ of information regarding the effects of drugs on behavior. Why have some organizations scrapped addiction from their vocabulary?
Addiction vs. dependence: What is the difference?
Many drugs cause dependence but not addiction, for example, paroxetine [10] and clonidine [11]. But when people withdraw from these medications, they do not crave them and once successfully tapered, they do not have recurrent use. In contrast, craving and recurrent use are common symptoms of addiction, particularly during early stages of recovery. Physiological dependence is very common and can occur with many different kinds of substances, including those considered to be medications. In fact, it’s very important for medical professionals to get this right and differentiate between physiological dependence and the more complicated addiction construct because the diagnosis will help point to the best treatment option. It is no secret that misinformation about addiction is rampant in popular media.
- If a person uses many drugs and develops a physical dependence on these drugs, that person is usually described as dependent.
- Tolerance is when the body’s response to a substance diminishes over time.
- The APA ditched both “substance abuse” and “substance dependence” in favor of “substance use disorder.” Substance use disorder is now the medical term for addiction.
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That said, for many, but not all, substances, tolerance and withdrawal are often part of the package of symptoms of a substance use disorder. However, the APA explains that as the brain and body adapt to the effects of the substance, the person needs to consume more and more of it to achieve the same effect. This leads to a cycle of addiction and dependence that contributes to substance use disorder.