Addicted???

We hear the word “addiction” quite often in our world today. Addictions to drugs, alcohol, sex, food and the list goes on and on and on! Let’s check out these two words “addiction” and “dependence” and see first what they actually mean.

Addiction

A chronic, relapsing disease characterized by compulsive drug-seeking and abuse and by long-lasting chemical changes in the brain.

Dependence

This term is often used to mean the same thing as addiction. It can be thought of in two ways: (1) psychological feelings of discomfort when the drug is not available (psychological dependence), or (2) a state where the body requires the regular use of alcohol or other drugs in order to continue to function (physical dependence). If a person develops physical dependence and then stops taking the drug, he/she is likely to experience withdrawal symptoms.

When specifically talking about drugs and alcohol, do you feel like you have a problem? Below are two links, both have sort quizzes available  to see if you might be in danger or at risk.

http://www.drugfree.org/Intervention/Quiz/CRAFFT_Quiz

http://www.checkyourself.com/Quiz.aspx