I know some people who were crazy fitness freaks once and now they can't get up without happy pills and can't go to bed without ativan and morphine. Drugs change people, their lifestyle, their mentality and gives you this new person whom you don't know. We belong to such a judgmental society that before even analyzing the reason for that person's addiction we simply jump onto judging their actions and calling them a bad seed. There are more reasons to drug addiction than just getting high and being cool. And if any of my close friends or relatives gets into substance abuse I'll consider myself responsible too for not being able to stop that person from getting into it and not understanding his/her mental, emotional situation.
There’s a fine line between regular drug use and drug abuse and addiction. Meager drug abusers or addicts are able to recognize when they’ve crossed that line. While frequency or the amount of drugs consumed do not necessarily constitute drug abuse or addiction, they can often be indicators of drug-related problems.
 |
| TYPES OF DRUGS |
WHY DO PEOPLE DO DRUGS?
1. GRIEVING A DEATH- Losing a loved one is emotionally devastating for people. Everyone has a different mechanism for coping the grief . Some prefer counseling and therapies whereas some do drugs to escape the short term pain, which later becomes a habit, hard to leave.
2. END OF A RELATIONSHIP- Breakups and divorces are not an easy phase, it can negativity harm self-confidence and disturb other bonds. If no emotional support is available people often get into drugs and try to fill the void.
3. PEER PRESSURE- They all learn about it and think it won’t happen to them, but often the classic tale of peer pressure is the reason they experiment with drugs and alcohol. This cycle may result when a person is with a group of friends who are very lax about drug use behaviors, where experimentation is encouraged. It may also happen for people who are socially awkward and start to use it because they think it might help them fit in.
4. MENTAL ILLNESS- A complex trigger of substance abuse is mental illness. There are several varieties of mental illness that manifest themselves in different ways. Some people who face mental health challenges are vulnerable to using drugs as a way of rationalizing or making sense of their illness. Others who face depression or anxiety disorders may use drugs to help lift them out of these low mental states.
5. RELAXATION- To deal with basic life obligations like school, bills, grades, family and friends, people look for an outlet to maintain a balance between responsibilities and fun. Unfortunately some use drugs as an outlet and spend evenings and weekends doing drugs. If left unaddressed this pattern can turn into an addiction.
6. TO FIT IN- Whether joined a new school, college or job, one wants people to know him/her. At times teens and young adults get into drugs in order to feel wanted and share common interest with others.
7. BOREDOM- One of the most common reasons that teenagers begin experimenting with drugs and alcohol is that they are simply bored and have no deeper interests. They see drugs and alcohol as a pastime to be explored.
8. DEPRESSION- A feeling of numbness when one can't feel anything, a state of deep thought when one cares about nothing, the harm they are doing to themselves seem justified. It is when people turn on drugs and lose control.
9. STRESS- Modern lives provide unlimited stress. A lack of coping skills can lead them to seek out an artificial method of coping with stress.
10. GENETICS- If there is a family history of drug addiction or alcoholism, teenagers may be genetically predisposed to experiment with drugs and alcohol and become addicted. Some people get easily addicted to different substances whereas others do not, it is all based on genes.
12. FAMILY DEMANDS- It is not easy to live in a house where you can't breathe, people often take drugs to escape the family troubles, put on a happy , smiling face and live in an uncomfortable place. At times it becomes hectic to manage job and family, this too leads to substance abuse. Also, dealing with the deteriorating health of a loved one can lead a passage to drug abuse.
13. SELF MEDICATING- Self-medicating is the top reason people abuse drugs and Alcohol. Stress, anxiety, reoccurring pain, undiagnosed mental illnesses, severe depression, loneliness, trauma; these are all reasons why people would self-medicate with mind-altering substances to cope with what they are feeling or what they do not want to feel. At times people take certain pain killers without prescription which have high addiction properties and can leave a person high and dry after withdrawing.
14. A BREAK FROM REALITY- Everyone wants a break and escape. Some people follow healthy habits for it whereas some get into drug trap.
15. EASY AVAILABILITY- With modern communication means, there is nothing acting as an obstacle between a person and drugs. Prescription drugs are too easily available and can be obtained from any friend or relative.
16. PRESCRIPTION DRUGS- People sometimes confuse with prescription drugs and street drugs. Prescribed drugs are often considered to be safe drugs but they are not. DRUGS ARE DRUGS, they are addicting and leave a bad effect when withdrawing. Unfortunately, Opiate-based prescriptions are extremely addictive and can act as a gateway to other drugs, like Heroin.
17. FEEL ALIVE- Some people find it really difficult to find people like them, I am one of those people who have never found anyone with same thoughts and vibes as me, most of the times I can't relate to others, even to my closest friends and it is really tough for others to understand me, also I don't feel comfortable in sharing my feelings.
This might happen to a lot of people. These feelings can lead to low self-esteem or even depression over time. This only further exacerbates a state of isolation. In order to numb this loneliness or emptiness, they use drugs to feel alive and forget about feeling isolated. Using drugs may also give them a sense of satisfaction and purpose.
18. WEIGHT LOSS- I heard of this, weed gives you a jawline and cocaine helps in weight loss. Even though we speak of body positivity but we prefer nothing less than a ripped belly and strong jawline. Most teenage girls start drugs for the sake of getting a slimmer body.
19. MANAGES SLEEP TROUBLES- Office, school , parties , assignments and a lot is over the head of teens and young adults. some days one needs to sleep early and some days need to wake he entire night. Some teenagers use drugs to alter their sleep schedule.
20. ENJOYMENT OF GETTING HIGH- The chemical reactions between the drug and the brain cause a release of dopamine, which is pleasurable to many people. Getting into euphoric sensations and then getting out of it is a challenge.
21. BEING IN CONTROL- During stressful and going down times, people find drugs as a comfort pillow. Drugs provide a fake sensation of well-being and control over everything, which no one hates.
22. ENHANCE PERFORMNACE- Certain drugs may help to temporarily enhance cognitive function, memory, and focus. They may also help to alleviate fatigue and lethargy. These are usually stimulants and other prescription drugs. For students or busy professionals, these types of drugs can seem like a viable solution.
HOW TO KNOW IF SOMEONE IS ON DRUGS?
People usually never share about their drug abuse with anyone, but there are ways to know if someone is on drugs. Different drugs have different effects on the body but here are some which are common with almost every drug.
PHYSICAL WARNINGS
1. Red eyes, pupil larger or smaller than usual.
2. Sudden weight gain or loss
3. Changes in sleep pattern
4. Slurred speech or impaired coordination
5. Deterioration of physical appearance.
6. Running nose, if snorting and needle marks when injecting.
BEHAVIORAL WARNINGS
1.Drop in performance at school or work
2. Change in the hangout circle
3. Unexplained financial problems
4. Secretive or suspicious behavior
PSYCHOLOGICAL WARNINGS
1. Sudden mood swings, anger outbursts or irritability
2. Periods of unusual hyperactivity, agitation, or giddiness
3. Lack of motivation; appears lethargic or “spaced out”
4. Appears fearful, anxious, or paranoid
5. Sudden lack of interest in daily activities.
HOW TO PREVENT TEENS FROM GETTING INTO DRUG TRAP?
1. Help them deal with past traumas and hurts.
2. Make them feel accepted no matter what their sexuality is or how good they are at school. It’s not at all uncommon for substances to be a sort of Band-Aid for dealing with difficult feelings related to self-esteem, homophobia, discrimination, trauma and violence.
3. Inform them about the dangers of drugs and the pain during withdrawal.
4. Guide them in choosing the right friend circle.
5. Take interest in their life and never neglect their needs.
6. Normalize mental health discussions with them and keep them away from people whom they dislike.
HOW TO HELP SOMEONE'S DRUG ADDICTION?
Watching a loved one going through drug addiction is real painful and watching them relapse sucks more.
FOR TEENAGERS AND YOUNG ADULTS
Talk to them about their thoughts and feelings, because they may be a lot more than just school stress.
Discuss ways to resist peer pressure
Share your life incidents with drugs and alcohol
Talk about the ill effects of drugs and alcohol. Talk about withdrawal problems.
Help them build a healthy lifestyle which makes them happy.
Encourage them to be part of extra-curricular groups .
Introduce them to a counselor.
Attend anti drug meetings with them.
Always seek for treatment don't wait for thing for ruin.
Very informative ,I live this blog
ReplyDeleteWonderful insight helped in enhacing my knowledge.
ReplyDelete