Dual Diagnosis Treatment Center in Tacoma
The inability to stop using is a characteristic of addiction. Definitely not if it puts your health at danger. No, not if it puts you or the people you care about in a bad position financially, emotionally, or in any other way. Although many people aspire to stop taking drugs, they may discover that the desire to acquire and use them dominates every waking moment.
Physical dependence and tolerance are not synonymous with addiction. You may have withdrawal symptoms if you abruptly stop using a substance after becoming physically reliant on it. Over time, a given dose of a medicine loses part of its effectiveness, resulting in a state of tolerance.
As an example, if you often take opioids to alleviate pain, you may acquire a tolerance to them and become physically dependent. This does not mean that you have an addiction issue. Addiction is rare even when opioids are prescribed and delivered correctly under the guidance of an experienced physician.