Drug Abuse and Drug Dependence – The Differences

Drug use has certain terms which have been mistaken by several to mean the identical thing. The reality of your new toy is that they are not the same and it’s possible there are features that set them completely apart. These features when fully understood enable us to differentiate connecting terms.

Drug Abuse: Here is the inappropriate the usage of a drug, other than the legitimate medical purpose specially the psychoactive ones. Which means that, it’s the usage of drugs with no doctor’s prescription. A lot of drugs can easily be abused because of easy accessibility to your clients, especially ‘over the counter’ drugs. For example, anytime one walks into a patent medicine store demanding for tab paracetamol or an antibiotic capsule, tablet, injection, syrup or pessary without a written prescription a little distance from physician and without full knowledge of the dosage, side effects, contraindications, drug interactions, indications, etc of clonazepam he’s requesting for, he is practising drug abuse. Even though he understands the dosage but as far as these drugs will not be prescribed using a medical doctor he is abusing them. Drugs that are typically abused include pain killers, anti-pyretics, anti-inflammatory, topical drugs, eye drops, suppositories, aerosols, etc.

Drug Dependence: it’s a state of periodic or persistent intoxication, detrimental to the person, to society or both. Drug dependence is characterized by the following:

1. A strong desire, drive, need or compulsion to go on using the drug.
2. Emotional and physical dependence on the drug.
3. The creation of tolerance and consequently the tendency to raise the dosage with a view to generate a desired effect.
4. There may be withdrawal syndrome when clonazepam (klonopin) is stopped.

These aforementioned characteristics differentiate drug dependence from drug abuse as with drug abuse there is no strong desire, drive or compulsion to go on the drug; the drugs are only taken for the purpose of curing an ailment though may sometimes be wrongly applied.

Among the drugs of dependence include Narcotics, opiates comparable to morphine, heroin; amphetamines, cannabis sativa (Marihuana, hashish), cocaine, volatile substances corresponding to premium motor spirit (petrol), tube parching fluids, etc. These drugs have the capacity to change the personnel’ psychosocial pattern of life and cause them to detrimental to themselves as well as to the society at large. They affect negatively the individual’s thought process and make her commit crimes they might naturally not commit – Rape, robbery, murder, suicide, etc.
Take the right step with a quick and confidential phone interview. Call (713) 597-7280 to speak privately with one of our friendly counselors in New Hope Recovery Clinic of Houston.

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