3.2 Substance use and abuse

3.2 Substance use and abuse

There are many reasons that people decide to drink alcohol and use drugs. In some cases, substance use is a symptom of another condition: a person may be facing severe hardship and find it hard to cope, and turn to substances to help alleviate whatever they are going through. But this relief is only temporary, and substance use is a destructive way of coping with the stressors an artist may face.

The over-use of drugs and alcohol come with serious risk and can have devastating consequences. If you notice that you or someone you know is relying on substances to help them cope, it may be a sign that help is needed.

How do I recognise substance abuse? Substance abuse is characterised by excessive consumption of alcohol and/or drugs. ‘Excessive’ is hard to define when it comes to alcohol, because there are many understandings of excessive alcohol consumption. Drinking alcohol is legally permitted and socially acceptable, and many people do not believe that they may have a problem. In addition, drinking and taking recreational drugs are normalised in the visual arts, and we need to take notice when regular consumption crosses the line to become substance abuse. This line is often blurred, but it may be a cause for concern if you observe yourself or a friend showing some of the features on the following page.