Drug abuse is a term that people throw around all the time these days, but for some people it can mean life or death. People try using drugs for the first time for a variety of different reasons and not everyone has a problem with them.
Many people start out using drugs casually at school or social settings because they feel that is what is expected of them in those situations. For some, this remains a social a recreational thing while it becomes a problem for others. Another reason people start using drugs is to deal with anxiety or every day stresses in life. It becomes a coping mechanism for many, which results in drug abuse a lot of the time. Others find themselves using drugs to deal with challenging work, obtain self-fulfillment, or to satisfy personal relationships.
Drug abuse and addiction usually arises from people using them as a means for coping with life’s problems. Since the use of drugs and alcohol have become more socially acceptable over the years, it has gotten much easier for people to experiment with them at very young ages. Younger people don’t have the same decision making skills as adults, so they tend to make bad ones when it involves the use of drugs. And they are much more susceptible to peer pressure even when they don’t want to use them in the first place. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time can really affect whether or not someone gets involved with drugs.
As a friend, family, member, or coworker it is important to listen to each other and to pay attention to signs or symptoms. In many cases, severe drug abuse can be prevented or stopped before it becomes dangerous, but it takes you being aware of the people around you. If you work with someone, you may notice them slacking at tasks, showing up late, or sometimes not at all. If this type of behavior continues, it never hurts to check in with them and make sure everything is okay. Also, people who are abusing drugs tend to have difficulty maintaining close relationships. They see it as taking time away from their drug use, which is much more attractive to them at the time.
When you confront someone about a possible drug abuse situation, it is something you want to tread lightly with from the very beginning. The person confronted will probably become very defensive at first interaction, so you want to be sure that you don’t push too hard off the bat. If you push them away then it will be very hard to help them.
Being an aware friend who pays attention to those around them is the best thing we can all offer when it comes to any type of drug abuse.
