Habit or addiction???

[rafael]

I wonder what is habit and what is addiction??? Some people call it same thing but others call it different thing. This have created a doubt in my mind and I am not able to find the correct answer to it!!

[LW75]

A habit does not involve physiological changes/dependence and the resulting physiological withdrawal symptoms when the person stops.

A habit would be if "Fred" had a cigarette every day after lunch. On days when he is at a customer's facility he can't go out and have his usual smoke and misses it.

An addiction is when a smoker, for example, needs to keep smoking because when he stops he gets a "Pandora"s Box" of sad thoughts running through his head, feel anxious, feel irritable and can't feel ok until he smokes.

Then, too, people like cigarettes smokers have both a habit and an addiction. They may really enjoy having that smoke with "Fred" after lunch or enjoy a last smoke before bed time. Smokers often like their lighters and like having their package of cigarettes to keep in their pocket. These are all habit related. Then they have that horrible physiological addiction that gets unbearable if they don't smoke.

[griffin1]

I think the difference is in the amount of need for the cigg, drink, drug, whatever. Also, there are usually withdrawal symptoms, physical and psychological, when you abruptly stop using something you are addicted to. This is not necessarily the case with a habit.

[ayazhusnain]

Well dear ussualy addiction is consider to be in a bad way while habit can be good as well as bad.Its much easy to get rid of from habit then from addiction.

[Mess]

A habit does not involve physiological changes/dependence and the resulting physiological withdrawal symptoms when the person stops.

A habit would be if "Fred" had a cigarette every day after lunch. On days when he is at a customer's facility he can't go out and have his usual smoke and misses it.

An addiction is when a smoker, for example, needs to keep smoking because when he stops he gets a "Pandora"s Box" of sad thoughts running through his head, feel anxious, feel irritable and can't feel ok until he smokes.

Then, too, people like cigarettes smokers have both a habit and an addiction. They may really enjoy having that smoke with "Fred" after lunch or enjoy a last smoke before bed time. Smokers often like their lighters and like having their package of cigarettes to keep in their pocket. These are all habit related. Then they have that horrible physiological addiction that gets unbearable if they don't smoke.

I really liked the way LW75 have explained the things. I think he deserve a big applause!!!:) Just to add things to it that some people mix habit with addiction which is not correct, these are two different things and they should be dealt differently.

[Alien]

Addiction is always going to be harmful and habit may be harmful and may not be ahrmful it depends. I would recommend that do not depend on some thing so much that you get addicted to it.

[websurfpro]

There is a huge difference between the two. Habits can be good habits or bad habits, when addiction is something that will change the way you think and will take control of yourself.

[moja]

I would like to acknowledge LW75 for his thoughtful reply.

A habit is a repeated action or way of being.

An addiction is anytime you are trying to 'fix' something inside with something from the outside. Adddiction is characterized by powerlessness and unmanageability; and addiction manifests as an obsessive desire, an uncontrollable compulsion and a spiritual emptiness.

There is a WORLD of difference.

[jr_sci]

1st we take up addiction, and then when we continue it for a longer period, it turns up to be our habit. That so simple.