Addiction Science Network
Addiction Science Network
ASNet Why Distinguishing Drug Abuse from Drug Addiction is Important
ASNet Why Distinguishing Drug Abuse from Drug Addiction is Important
ASNet Why Distinguishing Drug Abuse from Drug Addiction is Important
Wednesday 19th September 2012
Dr. Michael Bozarth clarifies the differences between drug abuse and addiction, stressing why these distinctions matter for effective treatment.
8 minutes
Informative
Educational
Thought-provoking
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Non-judgmental
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Addiction Science Network
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Categories:
Understanding Addiction & Recovery
Navigating Alcohol Dependency
Nutritional Pathways to Recovery
Navigating Intimate Relationships
Family Recovery from Addiction
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Get the buttons here!Understanding the Crucial Differences Between Drug Abuse and Addiction
Keeping the distinction between substance addiction and substance abuse is obviously critically important for these and other reasons.
Are drug abuse and drug addiction the same thing? Dr. Michael Bozarth from the Addiction Science Network thinks not, and he's here to explain why it's so important to distinguish between the two. In this episode, he breaks down the often-confused terms, shedding light on their unique characteristics and implications.
Drug abuse, he says, is about misusing substances according to societal norms, while drug addiction is a deeper behavioral syndrome where obtaining and using the drug becomes a primary motivation in life. The causes and treatments for these conditions are also different. For example, comorbid disorders—like anxiety or depression—play a significant role in drug abuse but are less influential in drug addiction, which is more about brain chemistry gone awry. Dr.
Bozarth emphasizes that understanding these distinctions is vital for effective treatment. Mixing up the two can lead to misunderstandings and heated debates among professionals about what drives substance use. In cases of true addiction, the drug's neurochemical impact on the brain's reward system is key. But many instances of drug abuse don't involve true addiction and are influenced more by psychological and social factors.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone wanting to grasp the complexities of substance misuse and its treatment.