Tolerance & dependence

 

Tolerance

People who are physically dependent on opiates usually develop tolerance to the drug, making it necessary to take more and more to get the desired effects. Eventually, a usage plateau is reached, at which no amount of the drug is sufficient. When this level is achieved, dependent users continue to administer the drug, but largely for the purpose of delaying withdrawal sickness.

Dependence

Dependence on opiates can be psychological, physical, or both.

Psychological dependence: People who are psychologically dependent on opiates find that using it becomes far more important than other activities in their lives. They crave the drug and will find it very difficult to stop using it, or even to cut down on the amount they use.

Physical dependence: Physical dependence occurs when a person's body adapts to the opiate and the body gets used to functioning with the drug present. For some people this dependence leads to bad eating habits, poor hygiene and housing problems. Poor nutrition and living conditions increase the risk of infections and other health problems. Maintaining the ‘habit' can sometimes lead to users turning to crime to get enough money to pay for it.