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The Difference Between Substance Abuse and Addiction
Not everyone who uses drugs becomes addicted,but substance abuse can cause problems for individuals whether they are technically addicted or not. There are different levels of substance abuse, and all of them can be dangerous.
Substance Abuse Disorder: Using drugs or other substances becomes abusive and categorized as a"disorder" when the use begins to cause continuing or growing problems in the user's life. Theseproblems include missing work or school, driving under the influence, legal problems, and problems with friends or family relationships.
Chemical Dependency: Dependency usually becomes noticeable in substance abusers when they continue their pattern of drug use in spite of incurring significant problems in their lives. Some signs of chemical dependency include spending more time on drug-seeking behavior, withdrawing from society and activities, an increased tolerance to the substance, unsuccessful attempts to quit, withdrawal symptoms during abstinence or reduced intake, and continuing use in spite of negative consequences.
Chemical Addiction: Addiction can best be described as a compulsive continued use of a drug or substance and a complete inability to stop.
Do You Have a Problem?
The following questions were written by recovering addicts in Narcotics Anonymous and published in NA's brochure "Am I an Addict?" If you have doubts about whether or not you’re an addict, take a few moments to read the questions below and answer them as honestly as you can.
1. |
Do you ever use alone? |
2. |
Have you ever substituted one drug for another, thinking that one particular drug was the problem? |
3. |
Have you ever manipulated or lied to a doctor to obtain prescription drugs? |
4. |
Have you ever stolen drugs or stolen to obtain drugs? |
5. |
Do you regularly use a drug when you wake up or when you go to bed? |
6. |
Have you ever taken one drug to overcome the effects of another? |
7. |
Do you avoid people or places that do not approve of you using drugs? |
8. |
Have you ever used a drug without knowing what it was or what it would do to you? |
9. |
Has your job or school performance ever suffered from the effects of your drug use? |
10. |
Have you ever been arrested as a result of using drugs? |
11. |
Have you ever lied about what or how much you use? |
12. |
Do you put the purchase of drugs ahead of your financial responsibilities? |
13. |
Have you ever tried to stop or control your using? |
14. |
Have you ever been in a jail, hospital, or drug rehabilitation center because of your using? |
15. |
Does using interfere with your sleeping or eating? |
16. |
Does the thought of running out of drugs terrify you? |
17. |
Do you feel it is impossible for you to live without drugs? |
18. |
Do you ever question your own sanity? |
19. |
Is your drug use making life at home unhappy? |
20. |
Have you ever thought you couldn’t fit in or have a good time without drugs? |
21. |
Have you ever felt defensive, guilty, or ashamed about your using? |
22. |
Do you think a lot about drugs? |
23. |
Have you had irrational or indefinable fears? |
24. |
Has using affected your sexual relationships? |
25. |
Have you ever taken drugs you didn’t prefer? |
26. |
Have you ever used drugs because of emotional pain or stress? |
27. |
Have you ever overdosed on any drugs? |
28. |
Do you continue to use despite negative consequences? |
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If you answered yes to some of the above questions, you may want to seek further evaluation. Call one of our admissions specialists toll free at 800.303.0156 or email us. |
Exploring Myths about Drug Abuse
Myth: Drug addiction is voluntary behavior.
A person starts out as an occasional drug user, and that is a voluntary decision. But as times passes, something happens, and that person goes from being a voluntary drug user to being a compulsive drug user. Why? Because over time, continued use of addictive drugs changes your brain -- at times in dramatic, toxic ways, at others in more subtle ways, but virtually always in ways that result in compulsive and even uncontrollable drug use.
Myth: More than anything else, drug addiction is a character flaw. Drug addiction is a brain
disease. Every type of drug of abuse has its own individual mechanism for changing how the brain functions. But regardless of which drug a person is addicted to, many of the effects it has on the brain are similar: they range from changes in the molecules and cells that make up the brain, to mood changes, to changes in memory processes and in such motor skills as walking and talking. And these changes have a huge influence on all aspects of a person's behavior. The drug becomes the single most powerful motivator in a drug abuser's existence. He or she will do almost anything for the drug. This comes about because drug use has changed the individual's brain and its functioning in critical ways.
Myth: You have to want drug treatment for it to be effective. Virtually no one wants drug treatment. Two of the primary reasons people seek drug treatment are because the court ordered them to do so, or because loved ones urged them to seek treatment. Many scientific studies have shown convincingly that those who enter drug treatment programs in which they face "high pressure" to confront and attempt to surmount their addiction do comparatively better in treatment, regardless of the reason they sought treatment in the first place.
Myth: Treatment for drug addiction should be a one-shot deal.
Like many other illnesses, drug addiction typically is a chronic disorder. To be sure, some people can quit drug use "cold turkey," or they can quit after receiving treatment just one time at a rehabilitation facility. But most of those who abuse drugs require longer-term treatment and, in many instances, repeated treatments.
Myth: We should strive to find a "magic bullet" to treat all forms of drug abuse.
There is no "one size fits all" form of drug treatment, much less a magic bullet that suddenly will cure addiction. Different people have different drug abuse-related problems. And they respond very differently to similar forms of treatment, even when they're abusing the same drug. As a result, drug addicts need an array of treatments and services tailored to address their unique needs.
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