6 minute read
Why do people use drugs?
whyD O P E O P L E
Before we go on about the effects of drugs on your body, brain, and behaviour, let’s talk for a little while about why people would even use them in the first place.
We’ve heard some people say that only stupid people use drugs, while others use drugs to look like a rebel. We think that it’s not that simple. People use drugs for a whole variety of reasons. If we could pinpoint one common theme running through most drug use, it would probably be this: people use drugs because they think it helps them deal with some of the more difficult parts of life. If that doesn’t make sense to you yet, it will. Keep reading: we’ve tried to answer some of the most common questions kids ask about drugs.
SI guess I just to want to know how I’ll feel if I start using drugs like my friends do...
The mystery of drugs and how they can transform people’s feelings, moods, and behaviors is pretty interesting. Being curious is natural, and some people are willing to take great risks to satisfy their curiosity.
The problem with satisfying your curiosity by trying drugs is that drugs are very unpredictable; you just never know what to expect from them. 24
SMy friends are drinking and Unfortunately, many using drugs, and at times I feel left out. I ‘m feeling pressured to join young people who them. don’t plan on getting We all want to feel accepted by our friends, and sometimes we themselves into trouble by using drugs want to impress people who aren’t even our friends. This is especially true when we’re often find themselves knee deep in it. young. Between the ages of 12 and 19, friends and fitting in are a huge part of who we are. Suddenly, we might find ourselves doing things S So, it’s okay to be curious? that are harmful or risky just to avoid standing out from our friends. Curiosity is natural, and you shouldn’t be ashamed of it. We believe that the best way to satisfy S Am I supposed to just ditch all of my friends? your curiosity about drugs is by By refusing to join in your friends learning about them instead of drug-use, you are sending a trying them. Most people who get powerful message: that you are really involved with drugs haven’t confident enough not to be a bothered to learn about them first, follower, and that you respect your and we really don’t want that to health and well-being. You don’t happen to you. Please learn about need to ditch your friends or even all the risks and effects involved with criticize them to make this point. using drugs before trying them. It You are allowed to make your own could make all the difference. decisions about what you put into your body.
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EIt’s hard to explain how I feel... but I feel kind of depressed, like things will never get better, and I feel incapable of being happy. When I use drugs, it helps improve my mood. Growing up can be really hard. Have you ever felt really down, when you just can’t seem to shake feelings of sadness or loneliness? What about being really angry at some of the people in your life, like your parents or teachers? When people first try drugs, one thing they experience is a change in mood. All of a sudden, drugs seem like the answer to many of life’s problems! Unfortunately, our feelings are much too complicated to be fixed with a dose of drugs. When we take drugs to avoid unpleasant feelings, what usually happens is that the feelings return after the drugs wear off – only now they are even worse. This is what often leads people to become addicted; when the drugs wear off, people sometimes keep using more to avoid dealing with their true feelings.
EDoes this mean that I should just walk around feeling depressed and lonely then? Absolutely not! There are far more constructive and positive ways to deal with sadness, anger, anxiety, depression, and loneliness than by using drugs. The truth is, everyone experiences these feelings from time to time, but when these feelings are seriously hard to deal with, it’s important to reach out to others who can help you. E Drugs seem okay to me. I mean, people don’t use them because they make them feel bad; they use them to feel good - don’t they? Very good point! Drugs do seem to be a lot of fun, especially when you see drunk and stoned people laugh, party, and carry on like they don’t have a worry in the world. The reason why this happens is that all drugs contain chemicals that, upon entering your body, work their way into the brain. Once they get there, these chemicals change your brain’s natural balance, causing you to experience really extreme feelings: hyper activity, power, happiness, attractive-ness, and relaxation, to name a few. E So, what’s the problem then? Well, the problem occurs when your brain realizes its natural chemistry has been tamperedwith. In order to get back to normal, the brain will change its chemical activity, preventing you from experiencing all of these great feelings naturally in order to overcome the powerful effects of the drugs. When this happens, you’re no longer having fun. A The question was about fun, right? The truth is, drugs are sneaky. Drugs fool you into thinking they’re fun, and for a while they do a pretty good job of it. I remember being at parties, stoned out of my mind on drugs, thinking life couldn’t get much sweeter. After a couple of weeks of that, drugs were laughing in my face. Drugs had me cornered when I could no longer work up the nerve to go to a party and socialize unless I had just used. They knew they had me when I was up all night, unable to get to sleep, while the drugs were wearing off. That was definitely not fun! Drugs show you a good time at first. Then, once you’re hooked, they just get you to use them – over and over and over.
ADDICTION VS Abuse
Another description for ‘drug addiction’ can also be referred to as ‘substance abuse’.
There is a very large variety of substances. Some can be obtained at a pharmacy and are legal. Some are harder to obtain and are illegal. Some are liquid, and some are powder. Some can be inhaled, and some can be ingested. There are many facts about all the different substances you see day-to-day, and the following pages will break down all these different substances for you. See how these drugs can affect you physically and emotionally, as well as how addictive some of them can be.
