The Difference Between Drug Dependency and Physical Dependency

Many people will use the terms drug dependence or addiction and physical dependence interchangeably. While it might be common to mix the two words up the two words actually have completely different meanings. Here is a look at the meanings of the two words and the difference between the two of them.

The term drug dependence or addiction refers to a compulsion that a person has to use a certain drug or substance. These people will typically not care about the physical, social, legal or mental consequences of using the drug or substance of choice. The only concern the person has when they have a drug dependency or addiction is to make sure that they are getting the drug and do not show a concern for anything else around them.

The term physical dependence is when the body of the person who uses the drug or substance becomes so used to that drug or substance. Sometimes this dependence upon the drug or substance will lead to the body needing the substance to function or other times it can just be a case of the person needing to use more of a drug or substance to get a high. In many ways the body actually builds up a tolerance to it and will sometimes physically crave the drug or substance.

The terms are often used interchangeably and that is incorrect. It is possible that people can develop a physical dependence to a certain drug or substance and not exhibit the signs of an addiction. However, it is fairly uncommon.

The two terms physical dependence and addiction are often hard to tell apart. Many people have a hard time telling the difference between an addiction and a dependence when it comes to prescription medications and an addiction to that type of drug. This is why many people will often confuse the two words or phrases together.

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How Exercise Can Help Those In Drug and Alcohol Treatment

It might be surprising to find out that one of the treatments that is being used by drug and alcohol treatment centers is the use of exercise. While exercise is not being used solely as a treatment option it is being used to supplement the drug and alcohol treatment plan. Here is a look at why exercise is being added to treatment center plans.

Exercise is starting to become a very integral part of drug and alcohol treatment centers. It is believed that when a person exercises it allows the body to create natural endorphins. These endorphins create a natural high that allows the person to feel as if they are on “uppers”. Many drug and alcohol addicts use these substances in order to gain a high or experience an “up”. If they are using a natural high by getting it through endorphins then there is a chance that they will not turn to drugs or alcohol to receive that high.

Exercise is also beneficial to the treatment process because it can reduce stress. Many drug and alcohol users use their substance of choice because they are stressed out or looking for ways to relax. By having an exercise routine in place people will experience less stress and will often find themselves relaxed. This will prevent them from having to turn to drugs or alcohol to release that stress or to relax themselves.

At the moment exercise has been extremely beneficial in treatment centers that focus on tobacco treatment. However, exercise routines are now being added to drug and alcohol treatment centers as it is believed that the treatment and benefits will be the same. It is believed that with a successful combination of psychotherapy, cognitive therapy and exercise a person will be able to have a successful drug and alcohol treatment plan.

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How to Prevent an Addict From Developing an Addiction While in Treatment

When a drug or alcohol abuser enters a treatment center they will undergo a complete physical by a medical doctor. Chances are that the doctor that is with the treatment center will put the addict on a treatment that includes some type of psychotherapeutic drugs. If you are a friend or family member of someone who has an addiction you might be concerned with the addict developing an addiction to these types of drugs. Here is a look at the likelihood of that happening and what you can do to make sure that does not happen.

Doctors will often prescribe psychotherapeutic drugs to help the addict through their course of treatment. Common psychotherapeutic drugs include stimulants to treat ADHA/ADD or keep an addict awake, benzodiazepines to treat sleeping disorders or anxiety and depression and even opioids to for pain management.

The problem that comes up is that some of these medications can be very addictive. However, there are things that the addict and their supporters as well as their doctor can do to make sure that additional addictions do not happen.

First, the doctor should be well aware of the addictions that the substance abuser is in treatment for. Chances are if they are in for mistreating benzodiazepines the doctor will try to avoid prescribing these types of drugs to the addict so the addiction is not stimulated. It is also important that the addict or their supporters let the doctor know if there was a history of abuse of these drugs or a family history of abuse of these types of drugs as the doctor can determine if there is a risk for addiction and keep an eye on the addict that is taking these types of drugs.

Another way to avoid additional addictions is to make sure that all medications are taken as prescribed. This will prevent any type of addictions from arising as misuse of prescription drugs can often lead to addictions.

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How Effective is Drug or Alcohol Treatment?

One of the concerns that many addicts and those that are friends of addicts have when looking into treatment options is how effective is drug addiction treatment. Rehab centers can be very costly and many people want to be guaranteed that treatment will work. Here is a look at how effective drug addiction treatment can be and why it is sometimes viewed in a negative light.

To understand how effective drug addiction treatment is you must first understand the object of drug addiction treatment. The object of drug addiction treatment is to safely and effectively help the drug abuser stop using their substance of choice and work their way into becoming a productive member of society by reentering the workforce, their family and the community. With this understanding of the object of treatment you can understand how drug treatment can be viewed as effective.

In a recent study it showed that those that stay and complete drug/alcohol treatment will stop using drugs, decrease the amount of legal or criminal trouble that they are in and actively seek out treatment methods that will help keep them sober. As with all diseases and illnesses drug and alcohol addictions must be maintained after treatment in order to prevent a relapse.

While drug and alcohol treatment can be very beneficial to an addict it is hard to tell exactly how effective the treatment will be. Whether or not drug or alcohol treatment works depends upon the nature of the addict and the problems that cause the addiction. If the addict is not willing to embrace the concept of treatment and fully engage in it the treatment will be ineffective. Treatment also requires a lot of follow up care and many addicts are under the assumption that after their rehab stay they do not need to continue their treatment. This often leads to relapses and many people view a relapse as a sign that the treatment did not work.

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