Reply #6: There is a difference between dependence and addiction

[Warpy]

and opiates in combination with acetaminophen like Lortabs are generally self limiting because if you take overdoses to get a better buzz, your liver will not like it and you will turn yellow and start puking. The damage is usually reversible, but you'll have to look for different pain control.

Dependence on a drug produces physical symptoms if the drug is withdrawn suddenly. This can apply to a lot of drugs besides opiates, including insulin, steroids, and antidepressants. Dependence doesn't produce craving for the drug, only symptoms when it is withdrawn.

Addiction is a different animal, producing intense cravings even before the more intense physical symptoms of withdrawal start. The AA statement "One is too many and a thousand aren't enough" covers addiction. Addicts typically can't get enough of their drug of choice and keep upping the amount, chasing an elusive high. Recent research suggests that many opiate addicts eventually reach a steady dose of a drug, something that's seen in nicotine addicts, but more study is needed of this phenomenon in a population that is stigmatized and largely hidden.

I'm deeply touched by your concern for elderly women taking Lortab, but perhaps when you get old enough to feel the aches and pains that come with a lifetime of hard work, you'll develop a little more understanding of why they're on them.