Drug Use, Abuse And Addiction

There are many differences between drug use, abuse and addiction. People tend to use these terms interchangeably, but knowing what they really mean can help you identify them. When we look at the bigger picture, this is important because drug use is becoming one of the most pressing issues of our time. An entire generation of young people is at risk.

Studies show that the pattern of drug use changes over time. In the 80s and early 90s, heroin was the drug of choice. These days, there are new drugs on the market. The most popular and common now are synthetic drugs.

Alcohol and tobacco are still more consumed than the rest of the chemical drugs on the market. In the category of illegal drugs, we have cannabis and cannabis products. Cocaine use is also increasing among young people.

We will now talk about the differences between drug use, abuse and addiction.

What does DSM say about drug use?

One of the most important standards for diagnosis today is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) from the American Psychiatric Association. The DSM system acts as a reference to determine the differences between drug use, abuse and dependence. In DSM-4, abuse was defined as a mild or early stage of substance abuse. Addiction, on the other hand, was a more serious manifestation of the same characteristics.

In practice, and in some cases, the diagnostic criteria for abuse were quite severe. This is why the categories of use and addiction were combined into a disorder called substance use disorder (SUD) in the DSM-5. Here are the diagnostic criteria:

• Consumption of large amounts of the drug, or consumption for a longer period than expected.
• Repeated, unsuccessful attempts to stop or regulate use.
• Significant amount of time spent trying to obtain the drug, using it, or recovering from intoxication.
• Intense desire to use the drug.
• Repeated use gets in the way of professional, work or domestic responsibilities.
• Continued consumption despite recurring problems at home or at work caused or exacerbated by drug use.
• Less involvement in social and work activities due to drug use (or quitting them completely).
• Continuous and repeated use even in situations that may cause physical harm.
• Tolerance.
• Withdrawals.

This is the most up-to-date definition of the problems that substance abuse disorders can cause, but what are the differences between substance abuse, abuse and addiction?

Differences between drug use, abuse and addiction

First is drug use when there are no immediate consequences for the user or the environment. This may be due to the user’s quantity, frequency or personal situation. This concept is quite complicated in clinical practice because it is not enough to focus on how often someone uses a drug. A person may use a drug occasionally, but clearly abuse the drug when they do so.

But it’s not enough to focus on quantity, either. Some people may use very small amounts of a drug, but do so so often that they become addicted. Therefore, it is very important to be careful when using the term drug use.

“Abuse” can be defined as drug use that has negative consequences for the user or the environment. Again, it may be due to the amount, frequency or personal situation of the individual. For example, a woman can drink and smoke moderately without any problems. However, if she continues to do so during a pregnancy, her consumption would fall into the category of abuse.

Finally, drug use becomes addictive when the user prioritizes the drug above all else. Thus, drug use, which may have started as an insignificant, sporadic experience, becomes lifelong. An addict will spend most of his time thinking about using the drug, trying to get hold of it, raising money to buy it, ingesting it, and so on.

It is important to give this case the attention it deserves. The first step in doing so is to understand each concept clearly. If we do, we can take steps to combat this really serious problem. With the right education and collective action, we could change the harsh reality of drug abuse.