Talk:Physical dependence

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How is physical dependence distinct from chemical dependence? The article for chemical dependence doesn't sound very encyclopedic, and this one isn't very specific. Turly-burly 06:47, 20 June 2006 (UTC)

Just noticed that chemical dependence is at chemical dependency. These articles should either be merged with a redirect OR should be given parallel names. Any preferences?

[edit] Increasing tolerance automatically part of physical dependence?

I'm not sure that increasing tolerance is necessarily part of physical dependence. I think a person -can- be physically dependent on a drug (and will suffer physical withdrawl if it is suddenly stopped), without being caught in the vicious circle of increased tolerance leading to increasing dosage resulting in further tolerance. - Pacula 17:10, 31 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Special Case

I've researched a few cases where patients claimed to only take the prescribed dose of opioids (i.e., Vicodin, Lortab) and had withdrawal symptoms after discontinuing the drug. (No immediate citation available.) What we must remember is that every human body is different, and just because a doctor thinks that 7.5 mg of hydrocodone may benefit a patient more than it may harm them, we can't necessarily assume that the prescribed dose is the best. Doctors usually prescribe these types of medications based on body-weight and/or severity of the case, not on the patient's history of physical tolerance to the drug. Quite often, pain medications, namely, opioids, find their way into emergency care and are used "on-the-spot" based on the severity of the pain or suffering that is being treated (i.e., symptomatic treatment). Many other factors that cannot usually be measured, such as drug tolerance (or initial INtolerance), and patient-drug history, NEED to be considered in prescribing these dependence-inducing drugs, but they often CANNOT be considered in "on-the-spot" situations. Therefore, some patients may be initially prescribed an excessively high dose of a medication that could normally be assumed to be an "abusive" dose which could induce tolerance and later dependance. Now, the question is, in this case, is that person "physically" dependent, or is he/she "chemically" dependent? Is it a sudden reversal of an adaptive response that triggers withdrawal, or could we simply attribute the withdrawal to a reverse in "excess" dosing? If the person had taken half the amount that he/she had been taking all along, could the withdrawal have been mitigated or even eliminated? "Physical dependence," to me, implies an adaptive response with or without abuse (i.e., the antidepressant case), whereas "chemical dependance" implies that abuse has occurred and the individual has developed excessive tolerance to the drug, and thus needs more and more of the drug to inadvertently obtain less and less effects.

[edit] Poor distinction

Cut:

Physical dependence is distinguished from addiction. While addiction tends to describe psychological and behavioral attributes, physical dependence is defined primarily using physical and biological concepts.

What's the difference between dependence and addiction? Is it a matter of degree, or what? These 2 sentences are not adequate reference material.

Sounds like an assertion that "addiction is psychological" (it's all in your head) and a denial that anything can be "physically addictive". Indeed, the physical addiction page redirected me here. --Uncle Ed 16:25, 31 January 2007 (UTC)

The term "addiction" is used to mean different things by different people, even professionals. This ambiguity is responsible for all sorts of confusion. Physical dependence on the other hand, does have a specific meaning that people agree upon. Mental health professionals and researchers often refer to things such as "internet addiction" and compare them to "substance addiction." In the former case, addiction is used to mean "behavioral compulsion" and in the latter case it is used to mean "physical dependence." Such sloppy use of terminology gives the impression that compulsive behavior and physical dependence are the same thing, when in fact, they are very different. Whenever possible, a more specific term than "addiction" should be used (i.e. "compulsive internet use" or "opiate dependence"). --Elplatt 00:25, 1 February 2007 (UTC)

So you're saying that compulsive behavior and physical dependence are distinct, well understood concepts, while the meaning "addiction" of addiction varies with the user of the term? --Uncle Ed 14:33, 1 February 2007 (UTC)

Correct. There is some useful info about this on the addiction page.