Addiction abuse can be found to contrary or conflicting terms. When a person says “he is suffering from addiction abuse” they most often mean the person is addicted to something and needs help. However, in the world Drug and Alcohol recovery, there is a promoted difference between addiction and abuse with regards to usage patterns and patterns and acknowledged dependence.
Drug or Alcohol ABUSE is often seen as using enough of a substance to be safe consumption – we'll get to that latter- while not necessarily exhibiting signs of dependence on that substance. Addiction, however, is by definition the dependence on a substance along with the negative attributes that accompany this dependence.
When dealing with drugs like alcohol, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, Oxycontin, valium, methodone and a whole variety of illicit and pharmaceutical drugs, abuse is almost certain addiction which has not been acknowledged either by the individual abusing the substance or those around them seeking to identify the existence of a problem.
There are millions of Americans who “abuse” drugs and alcohol whom will eventually be moved over to the addicted category in someon's mind when the traffic accident occurs or by arrest for possession or by the loss of a job due to their “abuse”.
We will focus on the term addiction in lieu of addiction abuse so that we are speaking directly to those who realize they have a problem as it is these same individuals who will find themselves researching solutions to an addiction problem since it has been acknowledged.
