Abuse and Addiction Relationship

 Abuse and Addiction Relationship

 By Jake Kohl

     The relationship between abuse and addiction are closely related but are however, not.  Abuse, according to Doweiko (2011) is “when an individual uses a compound when there is no legitimate medical need to do so, or when that compound is used in excess of social standards” (p. 15). Addiction is the “dependence to a chemical, which is marked by the development of a characteristic withdrawal syndrome for the compound being, abused” (2011, p. 15). Abuse in general happens before addiction, but not always. The one time use or exposure can lead immediately to abuse and/or addiction. 

     According to the continuum of chemical use, level two (early problem use) is the beginning point for abuse, and level three (late problem use) is the beginning point for addiction (2011, p. 10).The continuum suggests that abuse and addiction are different parts of the process of substance use in general (2011, p. 10). With that being said, substance abuse is the willful decision to overuse a substance, which generally leads to the addiction cycle of the substance - a physical dependence instead of a psychological dependence. It should also never “… be assumed that a substance user will automatically move from one stage to the next” (2011, p. 10).

     One can discern abuse from addiction by the relationship a person may have with a particular substance, chemical, or behavior. For example, the want verses the need and the affect it has on daily living differentiates the difference between abuse and addiction. Abuse as stated above is when an individual uses a particular substance, chemical or behavior in excess of social standards, thus, an addiction is that factor in which the behavior extends to needing, in order to function in life. 

     Abuse in general can generally be hidden from family and friends as the abuser is not physically dependent on the substance and can control when they use. Nevertheless, since addiction has the physical dependence and control on an individual, usage typically occurs during times of social interaction as well as during times of important life functions and is easily observed and noticed by family and friends.

     In conclusion, my opinion on the prevalence of addiction based on this week’s reading has staggering results. Addicts are in general, more easily noticed than those who use or abuse. Abuse appears to be more of a higher trend and occurrence than addiction in the U.S., but addiction is more noticeable over abuse. Addiction may also only be a small part of substance abuse overall. If the abuse parts of the continuum cycle (2011, p. 10) were more easily seen, it would show that there are more abusers than addicts in our country, especially if, as mentioned above, abuse does not always transition to addiction.

Reference  

Doweiko, H. E. (2011). Concepts of chemical dependency. (8th ed.). Belmonte, CA: Brooks/Cole Pub Co.