Addiction vs Dependence Difference and Comparison

However, the most recent edition of the DSM no longer creates this distinction. So why do some organizations scrap the word “addiction” from their vocabulary? The minds behind the DSM find the term carries too much negative connotation and is ambiguous.

• For spouses and family members of those with substance use disorder, it may be vital that you get involved in a support group (such as Al-Anon) and seek help from a mental health professional as well.
• When addiction is related to drugs or alcohol, the condition is also called a substance use disorder.
• Addiction and dependence are two separate conditions relating to substance abuse.

It changes how the brain functions and impairs how a person behaves as a result. A person who has a substance use disorder prioritizes seeking and using the drug above all else, and may act irrationally when they do not have the drug in their system. Dependence is typically a physical reliance on a drug, also characterized by symptoms of tolerance and withdrawal. An individual who is dependent addiction vs dependence on a drug may have a high tolerance, and needs to ingest higher dosages to feel the drug’s effects. If this person stops use abruptly, they will also experience acute withdrawal symptoms, as their body craves more of the drug. Addictive disorders are highly treatable, and treatment at an inpatient or outpatient rehab can greatly increase the likelihood of long-term sobriety.

Substance dependence and abuse

But over time, you may need more drinks, more often, for the same effect. The only way to overcome this is by accepting you have a problem and reaching out for help. Whether you’re in the early stages or have a full-blown disorder, the earlier you get help, the greater your odds of overcoming this successfully. The longer you let this fester, it’ll only hurt you worse in the long term.

• However, the desire to avoid withdrawal is what can eventually lead to addiction.
• Dependence can occur with the regular use of any drug, including prescription medications and illicit drugs.
• And here, too, among the committee members, the decision to introduce the term “addictive” into the DSM-5 was arrived at through disagreements and non-consensus.
• For some, depending on the addictive substance of choice and the route of administration, the results may be life-threatening.
• Fortunately, Volkow and her colleagues’ argument carried the day with the American Psychiatric Association’s DSM-5 committee in 2013.

As substance abuse becomes more frequent, the likelihood of developing a dependence disorder becomes greater. Addiction is marked by a change in behavior caused by the biochemical changes in the brain after continued substance abuse. Substance use becomes the main priority of the addict, regardless of the harm they may cause to themselves or others. An addiction causes people to act irrationally when they don’t have the substance they are addicted to in their system. The difference between addiction and dependence can be difficult to understand. Some organizations have different definitions, use the words interchangeably or even abandon both terms altogether.

Treatment Modalities

I haven’t experienced any negative side effects in the tapering off process, so I don’t think that it could be said that I was addicted to it. It is possible to be physically addicted not to have a brain disease. Addiction is a disease, and like any other medical condition, it requires a comprehensive, individualized treatment plan. Working with professional care providers and addiction specialists will help you understand your current risk levels and what that means concerning the next steps. BetterHelp can connect you to an addiction and mental health counselor. Such confusion can also contribute to a reluctance among prescribers to treat pain conditions among individuals on opioid agonist treatment.

Join 40,000+ People Who Receive Our Newsletter Get valuable resources on addiction, recovery, wellness, and our treatments delivered directly to your inbox. However, treatment programs occur in various settings for different lengths of time. However, the desire to avoid withdrawal is what can eventually lead to addiction. The longer a person uses a drug, the more likely their dependency will become an addiction. Maintaining sobriety after treatment for substance use is no small undertaking. It’s a lifelong journey involving continually learning how to apply new coping skills to everyday life.

Treatment Options for Drug Dependence and Addiction

For spouses and family members of those with substance use disorder, it may be vital that you get involved in a support group (such as Al-Anon) and seek help from a mental health professional as well. Several different medications are given while a person is going through detox; these drugs help safely manage a person’s withdrawal symptoms. The exact type of medication given during detox depends on the recovering person’s drug of choice. While different types of substances can cause various signs and symptoms, being addicted to any type of substance results in the same action on the addiction center in the brain. Whether a person has an addiction to drugs or alcohol, there are many commonalities when it comes to signs and symptoms, regardless of the specific type of substance being used.

And as the user takes higher amounts to feed this side, the secondary effects of respiratory depression (slowed down breathing or lack of breathing) and breathing are doubled or tripled. It is in this so-called differential tolerance where the users usually overdose. Get professional help from an online addiction and mental health counselor from BetterHelp. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is the leading source for diagnosing and understanding addiction.

I wanted to bring a few more members into this conversation on dependence vs. addiction. @stressedmesseddepressed talked about seeing what was thought to be addiction was actually physical dependence upon clonazepam. https://ecosoberhouse.com/ I thought that @johnhans @jimhd @jakedduck1 @rwinney and @sandytoes14 might have some thoughts on this topic of how one knows whether they are addicted or just physically dependent on a medication.

The signs and symptoms of drug abuse can vary depending on the type of drug being used, the individual’s tolerance, the amount being consumed, and the duration of abuse. I suppose that some people would have an addiction problem if they were to take some of the meds I take. I’ve never had a problem with addiction, to drugs or alcohol or nicotine or a behavioral addiction.