What should I do?

Adfam Conference 2012

Why do they use drugs/alcohol?

Most people who use drugs don’t go on to become dependent, but those that do can cause serious harm to themselves and their families. There are many reasons why people choose to use drugs and alcohol, and it can be hard trying to understand them. It is normal to feel scared, frustrated, angry and confused when you find out that a family member is using drugs or drinking.

Drugs change the way the people think, feel or behave. So reasons people might want to take them include:

• They may find the experience of altering their perceptions fun. They might enjoy the feelings of excitement and confidence which some drugs and alcohol can bring.
• They may use drugs/alcohol as a means of escape. Some people use substances to forget about their problems.
• They may be under peer pressure or find themselves in a situation where substance use seems quite ordinary. For example, many people first misuse alcohol as part of a friendship group where others are drinking.
• Most people experiment with drug/alcohol use in some way, at some point in their lives. Trying drugs/alcohol is often a way of experimenting with the adult world so is common among young people.
• Some people move from this experimental use to regular use, what is sometimes called ‘recreational’ drug use, as part of their lifestyle. There are risks associated with this, but most people come to little harm. Many people in the UK use alcohol in this way.
• Some people regularly misuse drugs/alcohol in ‘binges’ where they deliberately take large quantities of something, typically with many others, to have fun or as a release from the stresses and strains of everyday life.

Drug use does not equal dependence. Most people who take drugs/alcohol in the examples above can choose to stop using relatively easily - for example they might ‘binge’ on a night out and have no wish to continue drinking the following day, and in many cases quite the opposite. However, about 5-10% of people who use drugs ‘recreationally’ (i.e. more frequently to help them have fun, like on regular nights out) go on to show signs of dependency.

Dependency or addiction is where someone’s ability to control their drug/alcohol use becomes impaired - someone cannot choose to stop in the same way that an experimental or recreational user can. In the case of some drugs, for example heroin, the body actually needs the drug and people need to take more in order to stop the withdrawal symptoms. Other drugs, such as cocaine and amphetamines, do not produce as severe withdrawal symptoms but can be more psychologically addictive - for example when people feel they need them to have a good time.