People who abuse drugs:
• use drugs to help them change the way they feel about themselves and/or some aspects of their lives;
• experience some problems associated with their drug use but use those experiences to set appropriate limits on how much and how often they use;
• seldom, if ever, repeat the drug-related behaviors that have caused them problems in the past;
• get complaints about their using and accept those complaints as expressions of concern for their well-being.

    People who are addicted to drugs:
• experience negative consequences associated with using but continue to use despite those consequences;
• set limits on how much or how often they will use but unexpectedly exceed those limits;
• promise themselves and other people that they will use in moderation but break those promises;
• feel guilty or remorseful about their using but still fail to permanently alter the way they use;
• get complaints about their using and resent, discount and disregard those comments and complaints.