Although drug abuse and drug addiction are both dangerous, damaging conditions, there is a significant difference between the two. Understanding the relationship between addiction and abuse can help ensure that an individual receives the most appropriate treatment at the best drug rehab center to meet their needs.
If you or someone you love are using drugs, the following information is designed to help you identify the true nature of their condition. And if you yourself are engaged in drug-related activity then this information will help you diagnose your condition and seek out the people who can help you the most.
Do you have a Drug Abuse Problem?
Drug abuse is defined by medical professionals as using drugs in such a way that it causes harmful consequences for the individual. If you believe that you may have a drug abuse problem, ask yourself the following questions:
- Have drugs caused you to fail to meet important obligations, such as missing time at work or school?
- Are drugs causing you to engage in reckless activities such as driving while intoxicated?
- Have you encountered legal trouble, or brushes with the law as a result of your drug use?
- Are you continuing to use drugs despite an understanding that it is causing harm to you and your personal relationships?
If you answered “yes” to one or more of the questions above – and that behavior has occurred over a period of 12 months or more – then you may be suffering from a drug abuse problem and need to contact an addiction treatment center immediately. To wait is to allow the condition to turn into a full-on drug addiction, which carries with it much more serious consequences.
Are you Suffering from a Drug Addiction?
Drug addiction is a more severe condition than drug abuse. With drug addiction, the individual believes that they cannot move forward with any part of life without the assistance of drugs. In order to classify whether or not you are suffering from a drug addiction, ask yourself the following questions:
- Have you developed a tolerance to drugs – so that it takes more and more of the substance to achieve the desired “high”?
- Do you experience withdrawal symptoms (such as headaches, nausea, depression or anxiety) when not under the influence of drugs?
- Are you unable to stop using drugs once you begin on a “binge”?
- Do you often exceed your self-imposed limits for drug use?
- Does drug use cut into the time usually reserved for once-enjoyable activities?
- Are you spending an excessive amount of time using or going through the steps necessary to acquire drugs?
- Are you continuing to take drugs despite deteriorating health?
Clinical professionals look for three or more of the symptoms above when determining whether or not an individual is suffering from a drug addiction. If you feel that you meet this criteria, it is important to contact a health care professional, addiction helpline or drug rehab center right away.
Drug Rehab Help for Addiction and Abuse
Whether you are suffering from drug addiction or a drug abuse problem, an addiction treatment center can provide the most comprehensive treatment available for your condition. Drug rehab programs address both the physical and psychological components of abuse and addiction through a multi-tiered approach that includes detox, counseling and aftercare.
- Detox. The process by which the individual cleanses her system of the harmful toxins found in drugs and alcohol. During detoxification, the individual may experience a number of withdrawal symptoms that if not closely monitored can lead to relapse.
- Counseling. Therapy and counseling help the individual overcome their psychological dependence on drugs. In these sessions (be they group or individual meetings) the recovering addict is given a chance to learn about the root causes of her addiction – and how to respond more positively to the “triggers” that lead to drug abuse.
- Aftercare. Aftercare programs (such as follow-up counseling, sober living or 12-step meetings) help the individual make a smooth transition back into their daily life. This is a chance to get support and encouragement in the face of daily challenges that could endanger the individual’s sobriety and possibly lead to the patient using again.
