Hi, @helenfrances – this is an excerpt from a Mayo Clinic article featuring a Q&A with an anesthesiologist for a trauma professionals enewsletter. This response relates directly to your question on dependence versus addiction:

Q: Is there a difference between physical dependence and addiction?
A: Yes. Physical dependence on an opioid occurs in humans and in lab animals. It happens when a patient has received opioids for approximately five days or more and develops withdrawal symptoms — such as tachycardia, goose flesh, diarrhea or diaphoresis — when the drug is withdrawn.

It is very different from addiction, which is drastic behavior an individual exhibits to obtain opioids, such as stealing medications, buying street drugs to treat pain or engaging in risky behavior in exchange for drugs.

The whole article has information that might be of interest on the opioid epidemic from the point of view of a pain specialist https://www.mayoclinic.org/medical-professionals/trauma/news/treating-pain-responsibly-in-the-midst-of-an-opioid-epidemic/mqc-20438006.

Thank you, Lisa, for differentiating
dependence from addiction.

Hi, @zeph317 – thinking of you today. Wondering how you are doing and how your recovery is going lately?

Was wondering if anyone on this board has quit xanax by tapering. I quit alcohol and smoking 35 years ago but I have used 2mg of xanax daily for about twenty years originally for sleep. It is now no help at all for sleep but i know it's not safe going cold turkey. In the last six weeks I have tapered about 15-20% by cutting off bits with a single edge razor. want to go forward and quit completely. anyone with similar experience? Thank You

Hi, @jimk849 – you might check out this discussion on going off of alprazolam (Xanax):
Groups>Depression & Anxiety> Going off of Xanax https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/going-off-of-xanax/

Hi, all – Just wanted to make you aware that Connect just opened up a brand new group dedicated to COVID-19 https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/covid-19/. If you're interested in following it, click the +Follow in the upper right hand of the page. Please feel free to look through the discussions, participate where you'd like and start new discussions about topics relevant to any aspect of coronavirus, COVID-19.

Hello, all –
Thought you might be interested in a brand new group dedicated to COVID-19 https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/covid-19/ Mayo Clinic Connect just opened up. If you're interested in following it, click the +Follow in the upper right hand of the page. Please feel free to look through the discussions, participate where you'd like and start new discussions about topics relevant to any aspect of coronavirus, COVID-19.

Thank you Lisa! I am very interested in this group as most are. Its a very scary situation, I think because there's so many unknowns concerning this virus. I'm happy they started it

As we all know, addiction is a serious matter. As such, I thought you might enjoy the movie, "A Street Cat Named Bob." It's based on a true story of an addict who is adopted by a cat (named Bob) and a story of the power of music and animals in the healing process. It is available live streaming on Amazon Prime (and perhaps other live streaming services). Also available as a book. Here is a link to the movie trailer,

Thank heavens for this! I am 41 years clean and sober, a widow taking care of a small farm in N. Minnesota and find Zoom meetings with my local groups more of a pain than a pleasure. I am not sure why this is, but felt an instinctive "this might work!" when I saw this resource. Thank you so much.

Hello @mothergoose76 and welcome to Mayo Connect!

I'm glad that you found Connect and have posted in the Addiction & Recovery discussion group. Congratulations on having been clean and sober for 41 years!

You say that you have been doing Zoom meetings with your local groups. Have these been AA groups or something similar?

What do you feel has been your greatest resource in maintaining your sobriety?

Hello Colleen, I do AA Zoom meetings, but find doing my daily readings (Keep It Simple and the Big Book steps) and a bit of meditation afterwards helps most, Also, I try to call a member of my group or a friend I haven't heard from in a while daily. i dislike talking on the phone, so this is a real stretch for me, but worth it as it falls into the "service" category. Tough in these times. My greatest resource? Probably remembering and reciting the Promises anytime I feel anxious, abandoned or hopeless. All have come true for me. Vicki

Hello, is this an active chat ?