Psychological and Physical Addiction: Whats the Difference?
As with other addictions, it plays a role in behavioral addictions like compulsive shopping or binge eating. Unlike tolerance, which focuses on how much of the substance you need to feel its effect, physical dependence happens when your body starts to rely on the drug. If you were to suddenly stop using it, you would likely experience some harsh symptoms. People who are addicted to a substance use it even if it has no medical benefit. Addictions are more likely to result in serious harm, including suicide, unlike tolerance and physical dependence. Addictive disorders, including alcohol use disorder, most often begin during late adolescence and early adulthood, when there is increased risk of use of many psychoactive substances.
What Is The Difference Between Psychological And Physical Addiction?
Independent of the addictive process, problems can also develop from the taking of any chemical substance. Addiction involves both the mind and the body—and every other facet of existence, because they all interact. There is no real distinction between physical addiction and psychological addiction.
The process of addiction in the brain
Psychological and physical addiction are two distinct forms of addiction that differ in their root causes, manifestations and symptoms, and treatment approaches. It is essential to recognize the key differences between these types of addiction to develop comprehensive treatment strategies that address both the psychological and physical aspects of addiction. Understanding the key differences between psychological and physical addiction is crucial for healthcare professionals, individuals struggling with addiction, and their loved ones. By recognizing the distinct root causes, manifestations and symptoms, and treatment approaches, we can develop a comprehensive understanding of addiction and provide appropriate support and interventions to those in need. Another important finding of our study is that approximately one in three university students exhibited poor mental wellbeing, and approximately one in seven reported experiencing psychological distress.
Types of Complementary Therapies
The study found, physical changes in areas of the brain that are critical for judgment, decision making, learning, memory, and behavior control in addicted people. Scientists believe that these changes alter the adult children of alcoholics way the brain works and may help explain the compulsive and destructive behaviors of an addicted person. Psychological addiction is when a person is emotionally tied to a drug based on a mental desire for it.
- Physical addiction, also referred to as physiological addiction, involves a physical dependence on a substance.
- While branded as an easier addiction to overcome, detoxification can be hard on the body, resulting in significant withdrawal symptoms, especially from drugs such as opioids, nicotine and alcohol.
- By examining the concepts of psychological addiction and physical addiction, we can further dissect the complexities of addiction and gain insights into how different factors contribute to its development and manifestation.
- Understanding the complex relationship between these two types of addiction is essential in providing comprehensive treatment and support.
- It is possible to get addicted to a psychoactive substance that produces a pleasurable effect, but by no means do the majority of people who consume such substances get addicted.
Understanding the unique characteristics of each type can help inform appropriate treatment approaches. Addiction refers to a complex and chronic condition characterized by the compulsive engagement in a particular behavior or the use of a substance, despite negative consequences. We will help manage the physical effects of addiction through medically supervised detoxification. As we help you wean off drugs or alcohol, we address painful withdrawal symptoms and ensure your safety throughout this challenging process. When you’re discussing the difference between physical and psychological dependence, it’s easy to become confused between the words “dependence” and “addiction,” as they’re often used interchangeably. That said, sometimes you can have symptoms of addiction that are mostly psychological.
Addiction Is a Disease; Tolerance and Dependence Aren’t
Many of today’s detox treatments are designed to reduce or eliminate common withdrawal symptoms triggered when quitting drugs and alcohol. Those who try quitting drugs and alcohol on their own cold turkey often experience severe withdrawal symptoms that cause great discomfort, such as nausea, vomiting, alcohol intoxication wikipedia and insomnia. These individuals will often resume alcohol and drug use in an effort to relieve their symptoms — increasing the risk for relapse, overdose, and death. Psychological addiction revolves around one’s behavior, and is defined as a compulsion or perceived need to use drugs and alcohol.
• Developing the unpleasant physiologic symptoms of withdrawal—shakiness, sweating, queasiness or vomiting, headache—when unable to take the substance. Withdrawal is a highly variable sign of addiction; it occurs with use of some drugs (alcohol, for example) but not others (cocaine); however, it often drives continuing use. Withdrawal can require medical treatment when a person abruptly stops heavy substance use. Prescription drugs such as opioids, benzodiazepines, and stimulants can be highly addictive and lead to physical dependence. These medications are often prescribed for pain management, anxiety disorders, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but they can also be misused or abused. It is not solely determined by the presence of physical or psychological dependence but is influenced by a combination of genetic, environmental, and psychological factors.
We can, with your consent, pass your details to our partners that can offer this. We receive a commission if you begin treatment with a fee-paying provider. Discover what it feels like and learn how to navigate the emotional rollercoaster. Discover inspiring art and creativity in addiction recovery addiction recovery quotes with striking images for motivation and support on your journey to healing. Detoxing from alcohol at home requires careful preparation, support, and a commitment to ongoing recovery for a safe and successful journey toward sobriety.
Such substances trigger addiction by triggering unique chemical reactions in the body that counter their effects. With time, the body develops tolerance (i.e., stops reacting to these substances as it did when they were initially introduced). Tolerance makes a person take higher quantities of a substance to enjoy the initial feeling. A person is said to have physical addiction if they repeatedly take a drug until they are overly dependent to the extent that their body can’t function without the drug.
Tolerance occurs when the body becomes less responsive to the effects of the addictive substance or behavior over time. As a result, individuals may need to consume larger amounts of the substance or engage in the behavior more frequently to achieve the desired effect. Whether you’re experiencing a physical or psychological addiction, it is very important that you take it seriously and embrace the professional support available to you. The common consensus is that, without intervention, both forms of addiction will materialise and end in life-limiting results.
The clinical manifestation of abrupt cessation of a substance of abuse is withdrawal. Symptoms of withdrawal range from sweatiness, shakiness, tremors, and seizures to upset stomach, diarrhea, and vomiting. Irritability, agitation, restlessness, and sleep disruption are common withdrawal symptoms for many drugs as are muscle cramps, headaches, and changes in blood pressure and heart rate. Drug cravings can be fierce, and fear of withdrawal symptoms often drives continued drug use. That point differs from one person to the next, due to many biological and situational variables influencing response to a substance.
