Why Do People, Smart People, Try Drugs?
One reason often heard from people using drugs is that they do them to feel good. For real, it does feel good because most drugs act directly on the "pleasure center"--the limbic system--in the brain. At this point, it can be considered recreational use. Some might light up a cigarette at a party. They might not consider themselves a "smoker," but they do it to feel good or to "look cool." Someone might smoke pot at their friend's house because they think it could be fun. The problem? Drugs don't care what the reason is. The same effects can occur whether you're drinking to have fun or drinking to forget a problem, whether you're doing drugs to see how they feel or doing them to be one of the crowd.
People do drugs to change the way they feel. Often they want to change their situation. If they're depressed, they want to become happy. If they are stressed or nervous, they want to relax, and so on. By taking drugs, people often think they can be the person they want to be. The problem? It isn't real. You haven't changed the situation, you've only distorted it for a little while. Following are some of the reasons people say they do drugs to feel good or change the situation:
- Because they want to fit in.
No one wants to be the only one not participating. No one wants to be left out. So sometimes they make bad decisions, like taking drugs, to cover-up their insecurities. They don't think about how drugs can isolate you from your friends and family. They forget to look past that one party to see how things could turn out. Or maybe they just don't see the people around them who aren't using drugs.
- Because they want to escape or relax.
You'll hear a lot of people saying things like "I'm so stressed, I need to get messed up!" or "Drugs help me relax" or whatever. What they're really saying is "Drinking or doing drugs is just easier than dealing with my problems or reaching out for help." The thing is, the problems are still there when they come down--and not only do they still have to deal with it, they have to deal with it when they're not 100% and feeling guilty or even worse when they're not thinking straight.
- Because they're bored.
Lots of people turn to drugs for a little excitement because they say there's nothing else to do but watch the same Simpsons' rerun for the tenth time or hang out at the Burger King. But people who make these kinds of decisions usually find out that drugs are ultimately really a waste and painful. Drugs don't change the situation, and they just might make it worse.
- Because the media says it's cool.
Even though there's an antidrug ad on every minutes and more rock stars and ball players than you can shake a stick at tell you to stay away from drugs, the truth is the entertainment world still manages to make drugs appear very attractive. Kind of like how they encourage people to be really skinny even when they say anorexia is bad. Or when they say you should be super muscular but steroids are bad. But if you're wise, you'll understand that the entertainment world is not the real world, and basing your life on these messages is superficial.
- Because they think it makes them seem grown-up.
This is one of the weirdest reasons. Think about itÖWhy would an adult want to use drugs? Probably for many of the same reasons you would consider. The reality is that the most grown-up people out there aren't users. They're too busy living their lives to bother with stuff, like drugs, that will interfere.
- Because they want to rebel.
Sometimes people turn to drugs not so much for themselves, but to make a statement against someone else, such as their families or society in general. Somehow taking drugs makes them outlaws or more individual. The problem is taking drugs, ultimately, robs these people of their ability to be independent, because it makes them dependent -- on drugs and their drug connections.
- Because they want to experiment.
It's human nature to want to experiment. Trying things out helps you decide if they're right for you. But it's also human nature to avoid things that are obviously bad for you. You wouldn't experiment with jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge.. The point is, there are a zillion better things to experiment with sports, music, dying your hair, seeing bad movies, eating spicy food... back to top
2. Are Drugs Always Bad?
Illegal drugs are always bad. There's no good use for sniffing glue or snorting heroin.
But many drugs were developed as medications by doctors to help treat patients with very specific medical conditions. And for those people, drugs make sense. Unfortunately, many of these drugs are used by people who don't need them. Which, if you think about it, is kind of like going for chemotherapy when you don't have cancer. In other words, really dumb. back to top
3. Physical Effects
What do drugs feel like?
Depending on the drug, many people report feelings like happiness, confidence, serenity, or even euphoria when they take drugs. But even when they're feeling these things, there's a sense that it's not real, that the happiness is going to disappear any moment. Kind of like when you cover up a big zit on your face. You can't see it, but it's still there.
Unfortunately, in most cases these feelings are followed by even more powerful ones like depression, anxiety, nausea, guilt, embarrassment, loneliness and wanting more drugs.
What do drugs do to your body in the short term?
Every drug is different, but the general idea is, they interfere with your nervous system's basic functions. Sometimes they alter your muscles and how they function too. That's why people feel different--their brains and nerves and muscles have been juggled around, making them have sensations they aren't used to.
Besides making you feel different and playing around with your nerves and brain synapses, almost all drugs can make it tougher to sleep. Some cause major weight gain, some cause unhealthy weight loss. Your eyes get all glassy and bloodshot, your heart races, sometimes you get diarrhea. Some drugs like glue or butane can cause immediate death. Cocaine, ecstasy and meth can give even healthy people a heart attack on the spot.
On a more cosmetic note, most any drug out there will make your hair and skin much less healthy, and many will make you break out--not just on your face, but on your body. Smoking pot can make your teeth yellow, kind of like cigarettes. Oh, and we've never been able to figure out where the myth that drugs make your sex life better came from... while they might make you believe you're on top of the game, in fact, they generally interfere with, ahem, performance.
What do drugs do to your body in the long term?
It all depends on the drug. Using drugs over and over for a long period of time can cause lots of medical problems, from lung cancer (pot) to liver problems (alcohol) to big time brain damage (ecstasy, alcohol).
In other words, every drug is different, but all the long term effects aren't good. Besides the physical drawbacks, drugs cause major long term brain issues. Depression is a serious problem for many addicts. Also, they can really hurt people -- telling lies, stealing money for drugs, sometimes even getting violent with people they love. Their biggest ambition becomes getting high, instead of setting high goals. And so on, and so on. back to top
4. Why Do People Keeping Taking Drugs?
Many people don't become addicted to drugs, but may continue to do drugs for the same reasons they started: because they want to fit in, because they want to escape, because they're bored, whatever. These are people who have issues with insecurity, and are scared or unwilling to deal with problems in a straight-up, intelligent way--like talking to friends, counselors, even parents!
For other people, once they've started taking drugs, they become physically or mentally addicted. They want more--in fact, they feel like they need more. Eventually, trying to get drugs becomes the most important thing in their lives, using up all their time, money, and energy, and really hurting people they're close to.
Can you get addicted even though you only do it once in a while?
No one wakes up and says today I'm going to be an addict. Addiction is a processónot an event. Everyone starts using drugs once in a while. The problem is some drugs can make you feel so good that you're always searching for that initial feelingóthat big high; that rush. The truth is you never quite get the feeling you want, so some folks keep searching and taking more or different drugs. Meanwhile things are happening in your brainópermanent changes are happeningóyou are beginning to get addicted. That once in a while use of drugs quickly changes to frequently doing drugs to often doing drugs. You get the picture. No one knows when the ìchemical switchî goes off in your brain or who will get addicted. It's a lot like playing Russian Roulette -- you just never know. The only thing we do know is that the more you do drugs, the closer you get to an addiction.
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