Addiction vs. Misuse: What’s The Difference?

Addiction Vs. Misuse: What’s The Difference?

Drug addiction and drug misuse can both be serious in nature. However, they are not the same thing. Drug addiction is a disease that changes the way the brain works. Drug misuse is when a person uses drugs in a way that is unsafe, unhealthy, illegal, or not as prescribed by a doctor. If you would like to learn more about the difference between drug addiction and drug misuse, you are in the right place! Continue reading to uncover the key distinctions between both of these drug-related behaviors.

What is Drug Misuse?

Drug misuse can occur when people do not take prescription drugs as directed by their doctor. Certain types of prescription drugs can have harmful side effects when used improperly. For that reason, drug misuse can cause some serious side effects or health complications.

Examples of drug misuse include taking the wrong dose, taking the drug at the wrong time, forgetting to take a dose, stopping the use of a drug too soon, or taking a drug for reasons other than why it was prescribed. Taking a drug that was not prescribed to you is also considered drug misuse. Any illicit or street drug can also fall into this category.

What is Drug Addiction?

Drug addiction is very different from drug misuse. This is a serious disorder that is seeded in the brain. It causes compulsive drug use, despite negative consequences. People who suffer from addiction to drugs have an uncontrollable urge to take certain drugs, even though they know that doing so can be harmful. They may take more of the drug than they intended or use it more often than they wanted to. As their tolerance for the drug grows, they will feel the need to take larger and larger doses to get the same effect. Eventually, their bodies become so dependent on the drug that they cannot function without it. When they stop using the drug, their bodies can have very strong, adverse reactions called withdrawals.

What is the Difference Between Addiction and Misuse?

To sum up the difference between the two, drug addiction is a more severe form of drug misuse and is characterized by a lack of control. Addiction is a disorder that affects most if not all aspects of the user’s life, whereas drug misuse only affects a few areas.

For example, individuals with an addiction will often miss work or school, endanger their families physically or financially, suffer health problems, get into legal trouble, and face other serious complications because of their inescapable need to use a particular substance. But despite these factors, they are unable to change their habits and make choices toward improving their situation. For these reasons, many people with drug addiction end up losing their job, homes, or familial support. Some even die from their substance use.

When to Get Help

It is important to know when to get help for drug misuse. Although it may not be considered a disorder, drug misuse can eventually turn into an addiction. This happens because repeated drug misuse can result in increased tolerance and dependency on a certain substance, where cognitive, behavioral, and physiological dependencies develop.

In some cases, an honest conversation about the effects of drug misuse can inspire someone to change their behavior. It is important that they understand all the potential repercussions of substance abuse.

However, willpower alone is usually not enough to overcome addiction. Because their bodies may already be dependent on a substance, they would need some form of intervention, like addiction treatment or a 12-step program. The process of recovering from drug addiction often begins with an inpatient program that lasts for a matter of weeks or months. From there, the person will attend group meetings to guide them on the path to long-term sobriety.

The Bottom Line

If you or someone you know is struggling with drug addiction, you are not alone! Thankfully, there are valuable resources out there designed to help. Check out the Resources Page for easy access to a national treatment finder. For most people, the difference between living a healthy, happy life and continuing to struggle with drug addiction is the choice to speak up and get help!