What is an Addiction?
How can one tell the difference between a casual user and an addict? What does it mean to cross the threshold into drug dependency? How do I know if my loved one actually needs professional addiction treatment?
Working in a Utah rehab as a therapist, I am often asked questions like these. First of all, it is important to understand that addiction is a disease. While the addict may have, in the beginning, made a choice to pick up and use, at some point, a true addict has lost control of his use.
Therapists and medical professionals working in the field of mental health utilize the DSM-IV TR, a publication of the American Psychology Association, to diagnose mental illness. Substance dependency is classified as a mental illness. However, it is difficult to draw the line between mental and physical illness, as it relates to addiction, because of the physical changes that take place in the brain and body.
The DSM-IV TR lists seven criteria for clinicians to use to determine if an individual has an actual drug dependency (addiction). The patient or client only needs to meet three of the seven criteria to be diagnosed with substance dependence and to qualify to receive treatment.
A true addict will generally demonstrate tolerance (1). Tolerance means that because of the brain’s ability to adapt to the drug, the user requires more and more of the drug to achieve the same effect, or she experiences a dwindling effect with a use of the same amount.
Withdrawal (2) is something that occurs when an addict runs out of or stops using the drug for a greater length of time than he is used to. This can be a very painful experience and, in the case of alcohol and benzodiazepines (prescription tranquilizers like Xanax and Valium), withdrawal can even be fatal. In this case, detoxification should take place under medical care.
An addict will have difficulty controlling how much she uses (3) and may express a desire to stop or try to stop but can’t (4). A person who is dependent will use despite negative consequences that happen as a result of using (5). For example, health problems, work-related issues, troubles at home can all be negative consequences of an addict’s use.
Because an addict spends so much time and energy seeking the drug, using the drug, and recovering from the drug’s effects (6), that generally means that he will also neglect or postpone other important activities in order to focus on the drug (7). If you or someone you love exhibits some of these symptoms, it may be time to seek an assessment by an addictions specialist.
For more information contact a Utah Drug Rehab center near you. Utah Drug Rehab centers are great at answering questions and helping those who might be struggling with any form of drug abuse.
4 Comments
Kattie Wieckowski / 16 Apr 2011 / 7:14 am
Karin Tisdale / 04 May 2011 / 4:59 pm
Michel Mayen / 19 May 2011 / 4:19 pm
Gert / 02 Jul 2011 / 1:15 pm