What Leads to Drug Abuse?

Drug addiction currently plagues millions of people in the U.S. Drug addiction not only wreaks havoc on the body of the addict, but on family relationships, school and work performance, sense of self-worth and quality of life of the user. There are many circumstances that lead to drug addition, and each person's story is different, but there are some common situations that can often lead to drug dependence. If you recognize these situations, you can use that knowledge to have candid and potentially life-saving conversations with people you know who may be at risk for drug addiction.

Prescription Drug Use

• Surprisingly, many drug abusers began taking their substance of choice through a necessary, valid prescription. Narcotics used for pain management are especially addictive. Studies indicated that one common narcotic pain medication, Hydrocodone (Vicodin) causes dependence in as few as 10 days of regular use. Another highly addictive street drug, Oxycontin, also leads to a high percentage of dependence among its users. Oxycontin is so addictive that people report dependence in a matter of days,and instantly for others. Because of this, it has been dubbed "hillbilly heroin." Tell your doctor if you are having problems with prescription drug addiction and she will be able to prescribe alternate medications and recommend treatments.

Experimental Curiosity

• A lot of drug abuse stems from experimental curiosity. Especially for young people, being in environments where drug use is taking place, such as at a party or concert, increases the risk of what's called "casual drug use" or "recreational drug use." Recreational drug use is a tricky thing to navigate. If a person tries a drug at a party, then only uses it at future parties, the person might not feel as though they have a drug problem. Even if they are not addicted to the drug, they are still abusing it, and are therefore at an increased risk of dependence and overdose. Some of the most commonly abused party drugs are marijuana, ecstasy, inhalants and methamphetamines.

Depression

• A lot of people report that their drug use started as a means of escapism. Depression, anxiety and family problems can become so overwhelming that the drug abuser feels the need to replace those feelings with the pleasant sensation of being high. In this instance, not having access to the drug can be something that further affects these feelings, so that it becomes a vicious cycle. People who use drugs to mask feelings are at an increased risk of overdose than those who are dependent in other ways, because when the high wears off, the emotional letdown can feel more intense than the original emotional episode. This can lead to thinking a higher dosage of the drug is needed because the feelings are more intense.

Competitive Pressure

• Drug abuse is common in professional athletes. In their field, only the elite are accepted and athletes are only valuable as long as they can compete in peak form. Because of this pressure to achieve a high level of performance, male athletes sometimes turn to performance-enhancing drugs. These kinds of drugs often produce promising results, which can only be maintained as long as the athlete keeps using them regularly. The cycle can easily lead to drug addiction and an intense need to find other drugs to boost performance. Some of this stems from the drugs themselves, some of it from the peer pressure and some of it from fear that if they stop using the drugs, their careers will be over.

Poverty

• While poverty doesn't lead directly to drug addiction, there is a strong correlation between poverty and drug use. This is likely attributed to the lack of opportunity that can be present in poverty stricken neighborhoods. It's statistically proven that not only do low income neighborhoods have lower quality schools, but that the inhabitants often feel trapped in a cycle of poverty and oppression. Drug use, drug addiction and drug trafficking are all potential responses to these situations. There's no concrete explanation why some low income neighborhoods have an increase in drug use and addiction, while others don't, but it is worth mentioning when speaking of situations that lead to drug abuse.