Originally Posted by
Indigochild 
Please, if you don't mind, explain what this would mean in your view:
A Functioning Crack addict, a Crack user, a Crackhead.
Also Drug addict as apposed to 'Junkie'.
Is it all the same? Yes? No?
Thanks, IC.
Crackhead and Junkie in my view are SLANG terms. I think many people associate "junkie" with heroin addiction. While a crackhead is someone who uses a lot of crack?
"Functioning": There is an interesting term. I used it for years to justify how my use of substances wasn't a problems because I WAS functioning...and I may have even thought I was functioning well or better while using...but when a person is high their perception is off - they are deceived into thinking they are functioning better than they really are...
Then, we often here that term "high functioning alcoholic" (HFA). The very first time I ever heard that term was from the lips of an alcoholic! She was using it to JUSTIFY drinking. It worked for her for a while before her life totally spiraled out of control....But generally speaking most people consider a high functioning addict as someone who can still hold a job down and is still maintains their various duties. So, they function...but while they are doing that their body and mind are taking a beating that will later catch up to them if they don't stop using.