With the massive scourge of prescription drug abuse and addiction in America today, the line between drug dependency and drug addiction is now more gray than ever. It also challenges the previous definitions of addiction as being an incurable disease since these drugs have shown that anyone can become addicted to a substance with a high potential for abuse and dependency.
One example is when someone is prescribed a painkiller after an injury or surgery of some type. If taken long enough then a tolerance builds where the individual will need more to achieve the same effects. If they suddenly stop taking it then they experience withdrawal symptoms. This is typically what is considered a dependency.
A dependency on prescription drugs, or any other substance, can escalate into a full-blown addiction when that need for the drug becomes greater than other things in life and the individual starts to seek more drugs regardless of the consequences. This is when the lying, stealing, cheating, and other erratic behavior kicks in, however, it can start with just the dependency.
While these may be very crude examples, it does show that the difference between the two is generally just the degree of behavior, although someone who is dependent could be said to be addicted and someone who is an addict can be said to have a dependency, so they are somewhat interchangeable as well.
For more information on addiction and recovery or to get help for a loved one in need, contact drug and alcohol rehabs today by calling 1-877-421-9659.