Drug abuse is the inappropriate use of drugs, whether they are legal or illegal, as opposed to tolerance. You could exceed the recommended dosage or utilise a prescription written for someone else. You could misuse drugs to feel better, reduce stress, or escape from reality. However, you can typically quit using entirely or adjust your bad habits.
When you can't quit, that is addiction. Not if it endangers your health. Not if it results in issues for you or your loved ones in terms of finances, emotions, or other factors. Even if you wish to stop, the desire to get and use drugs might become stronger every minute of the day.
Physical dependency or tolerance are not the same as addiction. When you abruptly cease using a drug in situations of physical dependency, withdrawal symptoms take place. When a dosage of a drug loses its effectiveness over time, tolerance occurs.
For instance, if you use opioids for pain for a long time, you could become physically dependent and/or acquire tolerance. You are not an addict because of this. In general, only a tiny fraction of persons develop addiction when using drugs under competent medical care.