What is addiction?

Addiction is a compulsive habit that affects behavior and psyche and is difficult to disrupt.

Is there a difference between casual use and dependency?

Occasional use is done almost by all of us for a variety of reasons. For example, most adults usually use alcoholic beverages at various social events.

Similarly, young people, sometimes wanting to acquire new experiences or provoke, may occasionally use legal or illegal substances.

However, this occasional use does not automatically mean that there is dependency (addiction) to the substance.

The limit lies in the extent to which one can choose where and when to use a substance or if he or she absolutely needs the substance and cannot cope with his life without it.

Is substance dependence synonymous with dependence?

Substance dependence is a particular form of dependence. We are all a little bit dependent on a multitude of things: we need to eat, drink, breathe, sleep, and move.

Substance dependence, i.e. dependence on substances does not have to do with our vital needs and leads to loss of control.

When we no longer control the use of a substance and its use becomes an end in itself, then we become addicted, be it heroin or hashish, or alcohol, tobacco, or tranquilizers.

The dependence can be mental and/or physical. Mental dependence is manifested in such a way that we can no longer imagine life without substance.

How does the vicious circle of addiction work?

By using substances it reduces anxiety and creates pleasant emotions without having to make a special effort.

It seems much simpler to avoid our problems by resorting to substances rather than turning our attention to ourselves and trying to resolve them.

The more we choose the "easy way", we find it natural to use such artificial chemical means. This creates automation every time we are in a bad psychological condition.

Over time there can be no pleasure without the use of substances.
For every problem there is the "magical" solution. It is impossible to go back. We are in a vicious circle.

Is there a way to get away from this situation?

It is true that some manage to get rid of some dependency because they have strong motivation and will. However, this is usually not enough to stop using it.
Addiction is not only countered by logic. The forces that support substance dependence are sometimes so strong that no rational argument, even that of health risk, has any influence on it.

The same thing happens to chronic smokers and alcoholics. All smokers and alcoholics know that drinking and smoking harm their health but they still smoke or drink. It is therefore necessary to get help from a specialist.Veterinary drug detox programs, sedatives and narcotics such as heroin, cocaine and hashish are successfully provided at the Veterinary Clinic.