Drug Addiction

Drugs are not new. Man has been experimenting with them for thousands of

years. People use them to escape feelings of isolation, and to feel a sense of unity with

everything and everyone around them. The appeal is that they change the way a person

feels and perceives the world around her. Users take them to feel more sociable, relieve

boredom, and forget problems. Addiction doesn t discriminate- addicts come from

everywhere. There are a myriad of attitudes concerning drug addicts, and everyone falls

into a category concerning drug usage. Some are lucky enough to have never been an

addict, some are completely incapacitated by their addiction, some are functional E

addicts, and then there are recovered addicts.

Many people have never been addicted drugs, and will never fully experience the

physical and mental torment that drugs cause. They believe that people who abuse drugs

are degenerates and should be looked down upon, preaching to others about not doing it

without ever really understanding the addiction. Or, they hate the idea of losing control so

much, that they re determined never to take drugs, even if it makes them feel like an

outsider at times. Our society has caused us to believe that the typical drug addict is from

a lower income area or the inner city, when in fact drugs affect all types of people,

everywhere. Not realizing that drugs do not discriminate, most people are probably in

close contact with an addict without ever knowing it. People who have never been

addicted to drugs are the lucky ones who are fortunate enough to have overcome peer

pressure. They are content enough in their lives that they don t don t feel the constant

need for drugs to give a different outlook on life. Everyone who has experimented with,

but did not become addicted to drugs also falls into this category.

Addicts who are completely incapacitated by their addiction have not naturally

developed the kind of rational self-control that allows most people to remain free of

addiction. They become mired in their habit without realizing that a problem is

developing. This drug addict will go to great lengths to deny that their use of drugs is the

reason for a deteriorating situation, and practice denial in order to maintain their

increasingly fragile world. Being around such a person is very difficult when they are

hostile and blaming toward other things, when it s obvious that the drug habit is the real

problem. Loss of their job, perhaps friends, and interest in what used to be their normal

routine occurs. The drugs completely consume the person, and tradgically many addict s

lives are cut short when it eventually kills them.

The greatest numbers of addicts in society today are functional addicts E They

can regulate when they ingest their substance of choice, which enables them to function in

an apparently normal fashion. Coexistance with the functional drug addict is more feasible

because they are not completely out of control. They are still dependant on their drug,

and that dependence is more likely to show at times of stress or pressure.

Thankfully, many millions of drug addicts have sought rehabilitation. In order for

many addicts to abandon their denial, and want to renounce drugs, they must first hit

bottom. The person must reach a profound level of unhappiness, or physical incapacity.

The large number of patients in a rehabibitation center started expermenting with drugs

trying it just once, then just one more time, and finally so much until it became out of

hand. Until they reach the stage where they severly need help, they feel that they are in

control and can stop at any time. In order for rehabilitation to succeed, an addict must

sincerely want to be helped. Upon asking for help, an addict must learn to accept the

knowledge that even if they give up drugs forever, they will still be addicted to them. It

becomes their goal to live life one day at a time Eby not doing any drugs that day, rather

than dwelling on staying clean for their entire lifetime, which may seem an overwhelming

task. Family and friends play a huge role in helping an addict to recover by providing

emotional support.

The issue of substance abuse does not seem to be fading into the wind any time

soon. Fate has it that drugs will forever tear at the lives of many people. Many actions to

stop addiction are being taken each day in the hope of saving lives. Addictions pose very

diffcult questions about making choices and taking risks. In this imperfect world, full of

imperfect people, drugs will always be an issue.