What is the difference between physical and psychological addiction?
Addiction & Recovery
Physical addiction involves bodily dependence and withdrawal symptoms, while psychological addiction involves emotional and mental dependence on the substance or behavior.
Physical addiction occurs when your body becomes dependent on a substance and experiences withdrawal symptoms when you stop using it. These symptoms can include shaking, sweating, nausea, and in severe cases, seizures. Psychological addiction recovery involves the emotional and mental dependence on a substance or behavior. You might crave it to cope with Psychological stress, feel normal, or experience pleasure. Many addictions involve both physical and psychological components. Understanding this difference is important because recovery support needs to address both aspects - medical support for physical withdrawal and Psychotherapy for psychological dependence.