Drug Addiction: Abuse And Dependence Explained
Drug addiction is a complicated disease that overwhelms both the addict and those who love him. After abusing drugs for a period of time, the user becomes both physically and emotionally dependent upon the drug. Understanding the differences between drug abuse and drug dependence, and how the two relate to one another, is vital in helping the addict recover from this devastating disease.
* Understanding Drug Abuse
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), published by the American Psychiatric Association, provides definitions and criteria for making diagnostic judgments relating to the use of drugs and alcohol.
According to the DSM-IV, the essential features of substance abuse are a “maladaptive pattern of substance use manifested by recurrent and significant adverse consequences related to the repeated use of substances.”
