What is drug addiction?
Drugs can have different effects on a person including the risk of addiction. Addiction is characterized by a lifestyle where drug use has become compulsive and the involvement with it overwhelming.
In some cases, taking drugs can create a tolerance. This means there is a progressive need to increase the dose, when in the past the same effect of the drug was noticed with smaller doses.
Physical dependence manifests itself in withdrawal symptoms while psychological dependence translates the use of the drug into feelings of satisfaction and a desire to repeat the experience. There is a feeling of discontent and intense craving if the drug is withheld.
What is drug abuse?
Drug abuse is multifaceted and it may involve experimenting with recreational drug use or the abuse of prescription drugs. Abuse of illegal as well as prescription drugs occurs in all socioeconomic classes.
Recreational drugs and their use have been on the rise in the Western culture. Most of them are psycho stimulant or hallucinogenic in nature and they are used to get “high” or experience a state of altered consciousness rather than to relieve psychological distress.
Drug addiction can occur when abusing the following drugs:
- Alcohol
- Herbal drugs
- Opium
- Heroin, hashish and marijuana
- Street drugs
