What is the difference between Drug Abuse vs Misuse?
Understanding the differences between drug abuse and misuse is important. These terms are often used interchangeably. But they have very distinct meanings. Both conditions can result in serious consequences. Education is the key to preventing misuse and abuse as well as understanding the proper course of action to help reduce these issues.
Drug use is the most generalized term referring to the intake of substances for therapeutic purposes. It is the initial step before misuse and abuse. Proper use of drugs means following the healthcare provider’s instructions to achieve desired outcomes.
Drug misuse stems from a lack of understanding or a mistake in judgment. When you accidentally take a medication or substance in a way other than it is intended. It can have unintended negative consequences when left unaddressed.
Drug abuse is the deliberate use of illegal drugs or the misuse of legal substances that can lead to addiction and severe health consequences. Drug abuse is intentional and includes both legal drugs like prescription medications and illegal drugs like heroin or meth.
What is considered Drug Misuse?
The term drug misuse or substance misuse is generally associated with prescription medications. These types of drugs can also cause adverse side effects if not taken properly as prescribed by a medical provider.
Drug misuse occurs when substances are taken for purposes that are not aligned with legal or medical guidelines.
This can include:
- Taking an incorrect dose of medication
- Taking the medication at the wrong time
- Forgetting to take a dose of medication
- Stopping the use of medications too soon without the doctor’s approval
- Taking medication for reasons other than how it was intended and prescribed
- Taking a medication that was not prescribed to you
- Taking too much of a medication
Examples of drug misuse include:
- You use Percocet to treat an ailment. It makes you feel better so one day you have a headache and you decide to take Percocet again for the headache. People take these drugs because they think it will make them feel better even when it is not intended for that specific purpose.
- When you take more than the prescribed dose of medication because the current dose isn’t producing the same effects.
- You are prescribed painkillers for migraines and when you take the medication to treat your migraine, you also experience feelings of calm and relaxation. One day you are stressed and you decide you want to feel calm and relaxed so you take the painkillers even though you don’t have a migraine.
- When you take ADHD medications to help you lose weight or enhance your work or physical performance.
Substance misuse is the use of drugs incorrectly with the mindful intention not to cause any harm, but to treat ailments. Drug misuse is not a disorder. However, repeated drug misuse can easily escalate into drug abuse and eventually lead to addiction. Increased drug tolerance leads to dependency and addiction.
Factors that Contribute to Drug Misuse
- Lack of knowledge of the drug’s effects
- Prescriber errors or unclear instructions for taking medication
- The pressure to quickly alleviate symptoms
Many times, drug misuse happens unintentionally and is linked to a lack of education on proper medication use. Understanding why misuse occurs can be beneficial in developing targeted prevention strategies to prevent this from happening.
What is considered Drug Abuse?
Drug abuse occurs when a user purposefully consumes substances in order to experience pleasurable feelings and illicit a high. It happens when drugs are used to get high or inflict self-harm. It involves using drugs for non-medical purposes that is intentional and repetitive. Abusing powerful drugs like Xanax or OxyContin can lead to tolerance, dependency and addiction.
Drug abuse is when your misuse of substances gets to the point where it starts to impact your daily life. When you start misusing drugs on a regular basis, it can turn into abuse. That abuse can easily turn to drug tolerance, dependence and then a full-blown drug addiction.
Drug abuse is using substances to produce feelings of pleasure or numbness and not necessarily to treat an ailment or disorder. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, people often abuse drugs for the following reasons:
- Experience pleasure or get high
- Improve the way they feel by relieving stress, forgetting their problems, or feelings of numbness
- To improve the way they think
- Peer pressure, boredom and curiosity
Drug abuse can lead to health deterioration, which includes both physical and mental health ailments. Drug abuse can lead to social isolation, relationship strains and financial issues. Drug abuse can also lead to the development of legal issues, which include having a criminal record and incarceration.
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What is Drug Addiction?
Drug addiction is known as a substance use disorder. It is a severe form of drug abuse. A person who abuses drugs is still in control of their life and they typically do not experience any major disruptions due to drug use. However, people with drug addiction are impacted in all aspects of their lives, often missing work, behind on personal responsibilities and can endanger themselves or others all due to drug addiction.
Drug addiction is a brain disorder that is characterized by uncontrolled use of substances despite repeated negative consequences. People who have a drug addiction or substance use disorder have a physical or psychological need to take drugs otherwise, they can also suffer from intense and uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms.
Drug Abuse vs Misuse: What are the Key Differences?
The biggest key difference between drug abuse vs misuse is the intent behind the use of drugs. Drug misuse is taking drugs to treat a specific ailment, whereas drug abuse is taking drugs to produce certain feelings. Both types of drug use can result in serious consequences leading to physical health issues, mental health issues, financial problems, legal troubles and relationship issues.
Drug misuse encompasses both intentional and unintentional use of drugs in a way that is not prescribed or recommended.
Drug abuse is the harmful and excessive use of drugs, leading to negative outcomes for oneself and others.
Drug misuse is intended to alleviate an ailment or provide fast relief from symptoms without fully understanding the risks or side effects.
Drug abuse is intended to be recreational and to create pleasure under the complete understanding of the potential risks and harmful side effects that can occur.
Drug misuse is taking a medication without a prescription or accidentally overdosing on a medication when you unknowingly take too many doses.
Drug abuse is excessive alcohol consumption, overuse of prescription drugs and illegal drugs like heroin or cocaine.
Recognizing the Signs of Drug Abuse and Misuse
Recognizing the signs of drug abuse and misuse can be challenging. The symptoms vary and are influenced by the specific substance involved. But there are some general indicators that can help identify problematic use. Identifying these signs is critical to timely intervention and to help prevent further damage from unhealthy patterns of drug use.
Behavioral changes include isolation, erratic behavior, mood swings and withdrawing from social activities. Physical symptoms can include unusual fatigue, altered sleep patterns and changes in appearance. Psychological indicators include feelings of anxiety, depression and confusion.
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Treatment for Substance Use Disorder
Any time you take a medication or substance in a way that is not intended, it can have serious consequences. It can impact your physical, mental and emotional health. This is also referred to as drug misuse or drug abuse. These terms may be used interchangeably, but they are different and being able to distinguish between the two can help to accurately address issues and turn to the appropriate treatment.
Professional behavioral health program Hotel California by the Sea provides substance use disorder treatment. We offer treatment at all levels of care including detox, residential, PHP and IOP. We utilize evidence-based treatment methods that include CBT, DBT and MAT. Hotel California by the Sea is dedicated to helping reduce stigma surrounding drug abuse and drug misuse and helping clients overcome their addiction.
References:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/drug-abuse-vs-misuse
https://fherehab.com/learning/drug-abuse-vs-misuse
https://greaterbostonaddictioncenters.com/blog/difference-between-abuse-and-misuse/
https://summitbhc.com/drug-misuse-versus-drug-abuse/
https://meridianpsychiatricpartners.com/drug-misuse-abuse-and-addiction-whats-the-difference/#:~:text=How%20is%20drug%20misuse%20different,drug%20to%20elicit%20certain%20feelings
