Addiction glossary
Dependence vs Addiction
People use these two words as if they're the same thing. They're not, and the difference is worth getting clear. Dependence is physical: your body has adapted to a substance, so when you stop you get withdrawal — shaking, sweating, sickness, anxiety. Addiction is about behaviour: you keep using even though it's hurting you, and you struggle to stop despite wanting to.
You can have one without the other. A person can be physically dependent on a prescribed medicine without being addicted to it. And someone can be deep in addiction to a drug like cocaine that causes little classic physical withdrawal at all.
Why it matters
This matters because people talk themselves out of getting help on a technicality. "I don't get the shakes, so I'm not addicted." But cocaine works mostly on the mind, not the body — the pull, the obsession, the using despite the wreckage. That's addiction, with or without dramatic withdrawal. Dependence also grows alongside tolerance, where you need more to get the same effect. Naming the right problem points you at the right help.
What to do
Don't get stuck on the label. The real question isn't "am I dependent or addicted?" — it's "is this costing me more than I want it to, and can I stop when I decide to?" If the honest answer gives you pause, that's enough to look closer. Start with am I addicted to cocaine? or a private self-assessment.
Frequently asked questions
Can you be addicted without being physically dependent?
Yes. Cocaine is a clear example — it causes little of the dramatic physical withdrawal of alcohol or opioids, yet the compulsive use, obsession and inability to stop are full-blown addiction. No shakes doesn't mean no problem.
Is dependence the same as addiction?
No. Dependence is your body needing a substance to feel normal, marked by withdrawal. Addiction is compulsive use that continues despite harm. They often overlap, but you can have either one on its own.
Not sure where you sit?
The label matters less than the cost. If it gives you pause, that's worth an honest chat — private, confidential, judgement-free.
Book a confidential chat → Take the free self-assessment