Why do people take drugs? Abuse, Addiction and Misuse

Drugs are the new emerging trends in the world. It is a substance that changes the way a person acts, feels, and behaves. In more form it can be called a substance that alters the state of your mind- you cease to see the reality of what is happening with your life. However, coming to the good part, drugs also have a positive use. However, when they are taken in a form of an overdose, the term drug abuse is applicable.

Moreover, you might believe that this happens only in movies or with actors but that is just a far-fetched reality. Surprisingly, this has become a lifestyle of some people who were normal once upon a time. The Bollywood movie Sanju is one of the perfect examples. What life lesson do you learn from the movie Sanju? Well, there are many but one of the key lessons was not to do drugs. Most perfectly, the movie has shown us... how DRUGS can ruin our life and most importantly how difficult it is to come out of drugs. Have you ever visited a rehab? The rehab life is very hard to live when you need drugs but can’t have them.

The drugs played spoilsport over his career, his relationships, and his health and took away many years from him. So, the prime takeaway from the movie has to be to refrain from using drugs. Every other learning in the movie revolves around this prime factor.

Whatever it is, drugs drastically play on a human’s nervous system. First, the dope takes you on to Seventh heaven, and then it gradually destroys- organ by organ and makes one like a living cabbage.

"Drugs take you to hell, disguised as heaven". Well, this statement defines the meaning of drugs in one single line. Have you ever wondered why most people take drugs? Curiosity, one of the frequent reasons is to see what happens, peer pressure makes you do things just to see how they work, and before you know what is happening you are already there.

Many do drugs to disguise realities and this helps them cope with certain situations. Yes, you got it right, this is just a way of running away from one’s self or situation but the people who are prone to drugs would never understand that.

Thus, this is the most common reason for taking drugs for most youngsters today. Drugs affect the body and mind the sudden boost of energy or relaxed calmness is also why drugs are popular.

The effects of drugs can vary in numerous situations as well. It completely changes the way a person thinks and behaves. First, a person tries drugs, to cope with situations and due to the addicting effects doesn’t recognize reality. This, in turn, affects whatever relationships they have in their life and the impact is mostly always negative. However, financial situations take a rough blow under the influence of drugs as they are not found easily and are expensive.

Therefore, drug abuse is still a very serious problem for the new generation still, it would take a lot of knowledge to steer clear of it.

Each year around 11.8 million deaths are the result of drug abuse. Moreover, the will to not fall prey to such addictions in life is the only way to save ourselves from being prematurely dead.

MISUSE:

Drugs with narrow safety profiles & having undesired effects have certain guidelines to use for a certain disease. When these drugs are used for other purposes in inappropriate doses, we call it drug misuse.
For example, taking prescription sedatives in high doses for self-harm.
Using 'Date Rape' drugs for sexual assault.

ABUSE:

While drug abuse is a drug that is taken with the intention of its psychoactive effect especially when the individual is with negative emotions like stress, feeling low, grief, and anxiety. It creates a false and temporary perception of feeling better which forms a pattern and subsequent drug-seeking behavior hence addiction.

Drug effects on behavior:

Behavioral changes are quite noticeable in certain drugs and in some imperceptible or difficult to notice. It also depends on the dose and duration of drug abuse. Below mentioned are some of the most commonly seen changes:

1. Aggressiveness
2. Irritability
3. Personality changes
4. People sometimes feel the loss of drive
5. Mood swings
6. Emotional outbursts
7. Antisocial behavioral patterns for example stealing money, domestic violence, homicide, and sexual assault can also be seen sometimes.

Why does a person take drugs?

There could be many reasons:

Out of curiosity
Peer pressure
As a negative coping mechanism during adverse life events like grief, heartbreaks, and relationship issues.
To avoid or get rid of Negative emotions like stress, grief, heartbreaks, relationship issues, and feeling low
Those who have a family history of addiction.