Drug Abuse Vs. Dependence - What’s the Difference?

If you’re reading about addiction-related topics, you will inevitably encounter quite a range of terms. Some of these terms are quite straightforward. However, others may lack clarity or cause confusion. Two terms often found in this second category are drug abuse and drug dependence. These two concepts may seem more or less interchangeable. However, they are not. Knowing the difference between them will make it easier to understand what drug rehab programs do. It can also make it easier to determine when you need help from such a program.

Drug Abuse Vs. Dependence: Drug Abuse Definition One

Drug abuse is a term that actually has two meanings. The first of these meanings refers to the misuse of a drug or medication. Any use of an illegal street drug meets the definition of this form of abuse. You misuse a medication when you do things such as:

• Take it more often or in higher doses than prescribed
• Crush it or do anything else to enhance its drug effects
• Keep using it after your prescription ends
• Use it as a recreational substance

Taking a medication not prescribed for you also qualifies as misuse/abuse.

Abuse Versus Dependence: Drug Abuse Definition Two

Under its second definition, drug abuse is a diagnosable condition. It forms part of a larger condition called substance use disorder. The same disorder also includes drug addiction.

The hallmark of this kind of drug abuse is serious, non-addicted impairment caused by your substance use. Officially defined symptoms of this impairment include:

• Repeatedly using drugs in a dangerous or risky situation
• Maintaining a level of drug use that harms your key relationships
• Having significant, drug-related problems at home, at school, or at work

You may be affected by overlapping symptoms of abuse and addiction.

Drug Abuse Vs. Drug Dependence: Defining Dependence

When you take an addictive drug over and over, it gradually changes how your brain works. In the beginning, your brain will view that drug as a temporary influence. When it leaves your system, things will more or less go back to normal.

But eventually, your brain will grow accustomed to the drug’s presence. If you stop taking it, your brain will react negatively, and you will likely experience withdrawal. At this stage, you are physically dependent on the drug in question. You can also develop psychological dependence. This state occurs when you have an additional emotional reliance on the drug.

Abuse Versus Dependence: Where Does Addiction Fit In?

Where does addiction fit into all of this? Physical and psychological dependence are two defining characteristics of drug addiction. In addition, people affected by addiction have an involuntary urge to seek out more of the drug in question.

The first form of drug abuse, i.e., drug misuse, is a typical first step toward developing physical dependence. In this way, it can set the stage for eventual addiction. The second form of drug abuse helps define substance use disorder. Crucially, you do not have to be addicted to receive a diagnosis for this disorder. However, addiction is often present in affected people.

Learn More About Drug Abuse Vs. Dependence at Coalition Recovery

Have more questions about drug abuse vs. drug dependence? Talk to the specialists at Coalition Recovery. We’ll be happy to explain these separate, but connected topics in greater detail. We’ll also explain more about how both abuse and dependence relate to addiction.

Need treatment for substance use disorder? Coalition Recovery is your source for customized, modern drug rehab. No matter the specific problem affecting you, our top-quality programs support your quest for sobriety. For more information, just call us today at 888.707.2873. You can also fill out our online message form.