Abuse vs. Addiction

Hi there and thanks for your excellent question. Drug abuse is a strange term - people don't abuse drugs - drugs are inanimate objects. We abuse our bodies and minds with drugs. When we continue to abuse them we run the risk of developing dependence. We experience negative consequences as we continue to use and this is the hallmark of addiction - no matter the cost to our lives and to those we love, we continue to use. Most of us maintain the illusion that we can continue to abuse addictive substances without becoming addicted. Experimentation is possible but repeated use leads inevitably in this direction