{"id":7954,"date":"2022-06-15T19:54:17","date_gmt":"2022-06-15T19:54:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.americasrehabcampuses.com\/?p=7954"},"modified":"2023-04-12T12:33:39","modified_gmt":"2023-04-12T12:33:39","slug":"what-is-a-drug-dependence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.americasrehabcampuses.com\/addiction\/what-is-a-drug-dependence\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is a Drug Dependence?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Drug use often leads to abuse over time as it becomes extremely difficult to stop using a drug once a dependence starts to form. Drug dependence is when an individual is unable to function without being under the influence of a specific drug. Dependence can develop from prescription drug use as well, even if taken as directed, but is commonly a sign of addiction.<\/p>\n

An individual who is physically dependent on a drug isn’t necessarily addicted. Physical drug dependence can occur in patients who use prescription pain medication during long-term treatments but aren’t addicted to them despite the routine use. The difference is that an addicted person’s primary focus is drug use whereas a dependent person is using their drug in response to an ailment or symptom.<\/p>\n

This article will breakdown drug use to help our communities understand the difference between dependence and addiction.<\/p>\n

How Is Drug Dependence Different From SUD?<\/h2>\n

Terminology and divisions of various types of\u00a0substance abuse and addiction diagnoses<\/a>\u00a0change constantly. The most recent version of the DSM-5, an official medical reference material for diagnosing patients, has placed dependence under substance use disorder requirements. While both situations meet similar criteria, the fact that SUD and addiction are used interchangeably has caused some confusion within the community.<\/p>\n

Physical dependence on a drug occurs after a specific drug has been routinely used over time. The reason for the dependence is the appearance of side effects once drug use has stopped. These side effects are known as withdrawal symptoms and can be fatal if left unaddressed by medical professionals. Drug dependence refers specifically to these physical withdrawal symptoms while SUD refers to the long-term effects.<\/p>\n

SUD<\/a>\u00a0is defined as a condition in which an individual is unable to stop substance use even in the event of negative or harmful consequences. The effects of SUD refer to long-term changes in:<\/p>\n