The second step in the addiction cycle is the abuse step. This is when you begin using a substance regularly to the point where the behavior becomes abusive. The third stage is called the tolerance stage, which means you have triggered changes in your brain from drug or alcohol abuse. The next stage is called the dependence stage when your body becomes dependent on the substance. At this stage, if you try to stop using the drug or stop drinking, you will suffer from withdrawal symptoms. The withdrawal symptoms are different for each person depending on the level of substance used daily and the type of substance used. For example, someone withdrawing from methamphetamine looks very different from someone withdrawing from benzodiazepine. Finally, there is the addiction stage, which means for an addict, nothing is more important than the next drink or the next high.
Many experts believe one of the hallmarks of the cycle of addiction is another stage called the relapse stage. Nearly all chronic conditions, including addiction, have a relapse phase. During the relapse phase, an addict that has been trying to get drug-free and stay drug-free suddenly suffers a relapse and begins using again. Usually, people who have been successfully sober for months or years can relapse, especially if they are experiencing sudden stressors, such as the loss of a partner or a job.
