Response to this need to have 100 words:
Replies to others must be used to enhance an educated discussion on the concepts addressed in the questions.Use your knowledge from your readings and videos to strengthen, support, and challenge each other in your thinking. Make sure and reference your information using current APA citations and reference at the end of your post.
Amanda Wentz
Abuse and addiction can be separated by determining whether or not there is a physical dependence on the substance. Abuse could include the inability to maintain control while on the substance, but if there is no physical symptoms of withdrawal without the substance, then it is just abuse and not addiction. A person may use more of the substance that what is socially acceptable, but it is still just abuse unless there is a physical dependency. Another factor of abuse is that there is no medical reason for the person to use the substance. Addition contains all of the factors of abuse but there is a physical dependency which results in withdrawal symptoms when the substance is not used. We are not classifying people who abuse substances for some time and then put the substance down without any significant difficulty as addicted to that substance. The reason for this is that if there is a physical dependency and withdrawal symptoms, the person is not going to be able to put the substance down so easily. Also, when discerning between abuse and addiction you must take into consideration whether or not the person seems to be occupied with overpowering thoughts of using the substance. This is a sign of addiction.
Addiction is more common than anyone wants to admit. We are all addicted to some kind of substance, thing or person. There are just simply more serious consequences for being addicted to some things than others. Perhaps what determines our addictions is how much we know about the consequences of the things we do and our goals in life.
Reference:
Doweiko, H.E. (2012). Concepts of chemical dependency (8th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.