Which term describes the body's adaptation to drug use that can lead to withdrawal when the drug is stopped?

• A. Physical dependence
• B. Paradoxical drug effect
• C. Open meetings
• D. Oxford houses

Answer: (A)

Physical dependence is the body's adaptation to repeated drug exposure. Over time, the body adjusts so that stopping the drug leads to withdrawal symptoms as it re-adjusts to functioning without the substance. This concept helps explain why withdrawal occurs when use ends. It’s different from tolerance (needing more of the drug for the same effect) and from addiction (compulsive use despite harm). The other options aren’t about the body's adaptive physiology: a paradoxical drug effect is an opposite reaction, and open meetings or Oxford houses are recovery resources, not physiological changes.