Short Life Working Group On Prescription Medicine Dependence And Withdrawal: consultation

Glossary of terms

The following terms are used in this consultation:

Addiction Dependence plus a compulsive preoccupation to seek and take substance despite consequences.

Dependence An adaptation to repeated exposure to some drugs and medicines usually characterised by tolerance and withdrawal, though tolerance may not occur with some. Dependence is an inevitable (and often acceptable) consequence of long-term use of some medicines and is distinguished here from addiction.

Tolerance Neuroadaptation arising from taking some drugs and medicines, in which higher doses are required to achieve a desired effect.

Withdrawal Physiological reactions when a drug or medicine that has been taken repeatedly is removed.