[onetwotree]

Having been addicted to prescription pills, and currently being prescribed (and presumably dependent on) antidepressants, I think there are a few points that make the distinction abundantly clear:

1. When I consider stopping antidepressants, I'm not filled with anything like the dread I was when I thought about giving up the addictive pills.

2. I forget to take my antidepressants sometimes. I forget to refill the prescription sometimes.

3. I have never had any desire to take more than the prescribed dose of my antidepressants.

It's an important distinction, and unfortunately one that folks in the recovery community sometimes miss. In my experience the above characterization usually brings it home much better than some heavily medicalized description of addiction vs dependency.