What's the difference between drug or alcohol abuse and addiction?
Substance abuse is a condition where a person exhibits one or more of these behaviors, over a period of several months:
- Work or school performance suffers because of drug or alcohol use
- Continuing to use the drugs and/or alcohol even though it is causing a negative effect on personal and social relationships
- Reckless behaviors (such as driving while intoxicated) are present that endangers their safety and/or the safety of others
- Having legal problems, financial problems or problems with the police as a result of their alcohol or drug use.
Addiction is a more severe condition where a person exhibits one or more of the following psychological and physical symptoms:
- A tolerance to drugs or alcohol has developed, and the person needs more and more of the substance over time to achieve the desired effect.
- When attempting to stop the use of drugs or alcohol, the person will experience psychological or physical withdrawal symptoms
- Is unable to stop using alcohol or drugs even after repeated attempts to do so.
- Uses dangerous amounts of the drug in an attempt to achieve the same effect
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