[[Tolerance]] to a drug and [[physical]] dependence are not defining characteristics of addiction, although they typically accompany addiction to certain drugs. Tolerance is a pharmacologic [[phenomenon]] where the dose of a medication needs to be continually increased in order to maintain its desired effects.[2] For instance, [[individual]]s with severe chronic pain taking opiate medications (like [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morphine morphine]) will need to continually increase the dose in order to maintain the drug's analgesic (pain-relieving) effects. Physical dependence is also a pharmacologic property and means that if a certain drug is abruptly discontinued, an individual will experience certain characteristic [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Withdrawal withdrawal] signs and symptoms.[2] Many drugs used for therapeutic purposes produce withdrawal symptoms when abruptly stopped, for instance oral steroids, certain [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antidepressant antidepressants], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benzodiazepine benzodiazepines], and opiates. | [[Tolerance]] to a drug and [[physical]] dependence are not defining characteristics of addiction, although they typically accompany addiction to certain drugs. Tolerance is a pharmacologic [[phenomenon]] where the dose of a medication needs to be continually increased in order to maintain its desired effects.[2] For instance, [[individual]]s with severe chronic pain taking opiate medications (like [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morphine morphine]) will need to continually increase the dose in order to maintain the drug's analgesic (pain-relieving) effects. Physical dependence is also a pharmacologic property and means that if a certain drug is abruptly discontinued, an individual will experience certain characteristic [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Withdrawal withdrawal] signs and symptoms.[2] Many drugs used for therapeutic purposes produce withdrawal symptoms when abruptly stopped, for instance oral steroids, certain [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antidepressant antidepressants], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benzodiazepine benzodiazepines], and opiates. |