Recreational drug use, drug misuse and drug addiction are all interrelated yet different terms. So, to know that you or one of your family members or friends is addicted to drugs, it is better to understand the potential risk associated with them. Once you identify that a person, including you, is going towards the path of drug addiction, it is better to take the assistance of outpatient opiate addiction treatment and get rid of this malicious habit.

Drug-Addiction Treatment

Recreational Drug Use

There is only a small percentage of people who use street drugs or misuse prescription medication for recreational purpose occasionally. Even though there is no apparent danger with this kind of drug usage, it is still considered illegal behavior and can cause various problems with the law. Infrequent users are also in danger as most often they don’t know what they are ingesting due to lack of experience with unlabeled drugs. This greatly increases the risk of accidental overdose if mixed with other substance such as alcohol.

Drug Misuse or Abuse

There is only a very fine line between drug abuse and drug addiction. This line is often blurred and hard for people to distinguish whether they have become addicted or just using them more often. The people who misuse drugs take their dosage more frequently than people who use them for recreational purpose. However, they are not chemically dependent on it. But, they experience negative effects on their mental as well as physical health.

People who misuse drugs are treading a tightrope and the majority of them turn into drug addicts. Those who walk on this fine line also experience overdose more often because of frequent attempts by stopping abruptly without professional support and relapse again with too large dosage. If someone falls in this category, it is better to seek outpatient opiate addiction treatment rather than stopping cold turkey.

Drug Addiction

A person is said to be addicted to a drug when he/she develops a chemical dependency on the drug. If a person is unable to get through even a single day without using the drug one or more times to feel and behave normal or chase off the feeling of withdrawal, it means that person is now chemically and physically dependent on drugs.

The worst problem with this level of addiction is that you cannot just stop like that. Your body needs more of a drug and there comes a time when you don’t even experience high. The sole reason to take drugs at this level is to keep the withdrawal experience and horrible pains at bay. At this stage, a person feels dope sick and may experience extreme nausea, vomiting, muscle, bone pain, lethargy and long stretches of sleeplessness.

When a person touches the stage of drug addiction or has reached the worst level, it becomes extremely important to take the medical help through inpatient or outpatient addiction treatment. The treatment will help in detoxification of the drug from the body as well as improving social, spiritual and behavioral aspects of life.

Recreational drug use and frequent drug misuse also have the potential to take you to the door of drug addiction. So, it is always better to leave the drugs out of your life.