What Do Substance Abuse and Addiction Mean?
The difference between substance abuse and addiction is very slight. Substance abuse means using an illegal substance or misusing a legal substance. Addiction begins as abuse or using a substance like marijuana or cocaine.
You can abuse a drug (or alcohol) without having an addiction. For example, just because someone smoked pot a few times doesn't mean that they have an addiction, but it could lead to one.
People can get addicted to all sorts of substances. When we think of addiction, we usually think of alcohol or street. But people become addicted to, cigarettes, even sniffing glue.
Some substances are more addictive than others: Drugs like crack or heroin are so addictive that they might only be used once or twice before the user loses control.
Addiction means a person needs a drug, even if they know it has bad consequences. Addiction can be physical, psychological, or both.
Physical Addiction
Being physically addicted means a person's body becomes dependent on a particular substance (even is physically addictive). It also means building tolerance to that substance, so that a person needs a larger dose than before to get the same effects.
Someone who is physically addicted and stops using a substance like drugs, or nicotine may have withdrawal symptoms. Common symptoms of withdrawal are diarrhea, shaking, and generally feeling awful.
Psychological Addiction
Psychological addiction happens when the cravings for a drug are psychological or emotional. People who are psychologically addicted feel overcome by the desire to have a drug. They may lie or steal to get it.
A person crosses the line from abuse to addiction when they aren't just using the drug to have fun or get high but have come to depend on it. Their whole life centers around the need for the drug. An addicted person — whether they have a physical addiction, psychological addiction, or both — no longer feels like they have a choice about using a substance.
What Are the Signs of Addiction?
The most obvious sign of an addiction is the need to have a particular drug or substance. But many other signs can suggest a possible addiction, such as changes in mood or weight loss or gain. (These also are signs of other conditions too, though, such as depression or eating disorders.)
Someone may have a drug or alcohol addiction if they:
Use drugs or alcohol to help forget problems or to relax. Spend a lot of time figuring out how to get drugs. Steal or sell belongings to be able to afford drugs. Tried and failed to stop taking drugs or drinking. Feel shaky or sick when trying to stop. Need to take more of the substance to get the same effect. Have changes in their sleeping habits, eating habits (including weight loss or gain), or mood (including mood swings, anxiety, anger, or depression) Develop problems in their relationships with family and friends. Lose interest in activities that used to be important. Do worse at school.
How Can Someone Get Help with a Substance Abuse Problem or Addiction?
If you think that you or someone you care about is addicted to drugs or alcohol, recognizing the problem is the first step in getting help.
Call 's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). This free and confidential service is available in English and Spanish.
Many people think they can kick the problem on their own, but that rarely works. Find someone you trust to talk to. It may help to talk to a friend or someone your own age at first, but a supportive and understanding adult is your best option for getting help. If you can't talk to your parents, you might want to approach a school counselor, relative, doctor, favorite teacher, or religious leader.
Overcoming addiction is not easy. Quitting drugs or drinking is probably going to be one of the hardest things you or your friend do. It's not a sign of weakness if you need professional help from a trained drug counselor or therapist. Most people who try to kick a drug or alcohol problem need professional help or a treatment program to do so.
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