April 10th, 2008 by jgold454

There is a difference between having a problem with drug abuse and suffering from drug addiction. To begin with, an addiction is classified as a medical disease due to the biological changes that take place in an addict’s brain.

They are both marked by increasing levels of tolerance for the substance, but abuse does not cause withdrawal symptoms when the person tries to stop using. If you can quit for up to three days at a time just by trying to, you have not reached the threshold of addiction. The real line between these two conditions is often characterized by what role drugs play in the individual’s life.The biological changes cause an addict to engage in drug-seeking behaviors, regardless of how severe the consequences are in various areas of life. People with an addiction will continue using despite sacrifices that must be made in personal relationships, work or school, home life, finances, and health. Drugs become the single most important thing to them and are put ahead of everything else. An addict is physically and/or psychologically dependent on the substance of abuse. They are unable to think clearly, and their sense of judgment is lost. Over time, they even give up their values and sense of character to continue with the addiction.

Drug abuse creates many of the same problems in an individual’s life, though they are not as severe. Quitting is an easier process that may only require brief interventions and education, counseling, or a minimal outpatient treatment program. On the other hand, addicts usually need to stay in a residential rehab center. Even though drug abuse is not as severe, it has the potential to develop into a worse condition. Over time, the person can develop a full-blown addiction, and this usually happens without them realizing it.