Dual Diagnosis

No one ever sets out to be addicted to drugs; it is just something that happens once the effects of the substances are experienced. The detrimental results of using drugs are well known, so it can sometimes be shocking to friends and family that their loved one even tried the drugs in the first place. However, there are many different reasons people start using drugs, and they all seem innocent enough. But once that first high is achieved, it is often too late to turn back. So what are the most common reasons people use drugs for the first time? Here are eight of them:

Give In to Peers

When people are doing drugs, they like company. Nobody wants to get high alone. So what do these people do? They turn to their friends and family to convince them to join in on what they consider fun. Depending on the relationship between them, the person being pressured may feel like they have to partake in the drugs in order to be accepted. They want to avoid being mocked, so they just do the drugs that one time. Unfortunately, it very rarely ends after the first go-round.

Want to Escape

Life is never predictable and is always throwing curve balls. Dealing with these worries and stressors is never easy, but it is easy to take a drug and simply forget that any of these issues exist. There’s just one problem; the drugs don’t actually resolve any of the difficulties the person is facing. They are still waiting for them once the high wears off.

Desire the High

Even if the individual using drugs doesn’t have any major life problems they are dealing with, they still seek the incomparable high that comes with the drug use. They have heard about it from friends and they want to experience it for themselves. Once they do, they begin to crave it, and the addiction begins to form.

Eliminate Mental Health Issues

Depression and anxiety are very real health conditions that do require treatment; however, many people find that they can mask these feelings by using illegal drugs instead of seeking professional help. This is a very slippery slope to go down because the condition is never actually being treated: It is just being covered up.

Test it Out

Curiosity is a very normal human emotion, so it is no surprise that many people begin using drugs simply to see what it’s like. They may honestly believe that they will only use them one time, and then they can at least say they know what it’s all about. But it’s never really that simple.

Improve Athletic Performance

The world of sports is extremely competitive, and when someone feels intense pressure to succeed, they may turn to questionable methods to improve their performance. Of course, if an athlete is found to be using drugs, their career is essentially over, so it is definitely not worth the risk. However, no one goes into drug use thinking they are going to get caught.

Combat Boredom

Believe it or not, some people actually start using drugs simply because they have nothing else to do. There are only so many TV shows to watch or snacks to eat, so they turn to drugs to help them pass the time. It may start out as a fun way to watch the hours roll by, but it very quickly turns into a life-consuming habit that is very hard to break.

Rebel Against Parents

Many people begin using drugs during the teenage years. Why? Because they are looking for ways to rebel against their parents, and it is normal teenage behavior to go against what parents say. They think it proves that they are their own person, that they don’t need their parents, and that they are on their way to adulthood. However, instead of making a statement, they are making a decision that may very well alter the course of their life. There are many ways to rebel; drug use doesn’t need to be one of them.

It doesn’t matter why someone starts using drugs: Once that first high is felt, it is almost impossible to act like it never happened. That being said, there is a way to go back to a life without drugs, and at Alternatives in Treatment, that is always our goal.


Sources
http://www.addictionireland.ie/faq/article.asp?FID=33