Drug Abuse: Is the unhealthy/harmful use of drugs to reach a certain goal that is not the goal of the medication. Two examples are: using ADHD medication for studying or recreational use of illicit addictive drugs for hallucinogen properties. The key point here is the misuse of the opioid.
Drug Dependence: Is when the individual relies on the opioid to function in normal conditions. A realistic example is the use of oxycodone for very strong pain, there are multiple cases of people that started using this drug and became addicted to it after finishing the treatment with the medication. The key point here is the reliance on the substance.
