What is addiction (or dependence) and how can I tell if someone is an alcoholic?
The difference between abuse and addiction or dependence has to do with the degree of compulsion in the drug use. When someone spends most of the time getting, using or thinking about the drug; when he or she disregards all health consequences; when, after withdrawal, the person is compelled to use again because the psychoactive substance is still the most important thing in life, then that’s addiction. Dependence and withdrawal can be both physical and/or psychological. Some drugs can cause a strong physical dependence that leads to a difficult, sometimes dangerous, withdrawal that might require medical supervision. While the presence of physical dependence can complicate the treatment process, it is the psychological aspect of the relationship with the substance that is the most challenging to alter. As for the term “alcoholic,” there are varied meanings and judgments attached to it. Many clinicians are moving away from using it as a descriptor and prefer to talk in terms of “depende
