When recreational drug use turns into addiction?
Recreational drug use is a practice that dates to prehistoric times. Many people consume drugs to have fun, to bring a variation in life. The practice is potentially dangerous. Because the majority of recreational drug users find their habit becomes an obsession. They begin to abuse the drugs that once brought them so much pleasure and find that they rely on them just to get though the day. Eventually, they lose control over their actions and become drug addicts who will do whatever it takes to get their next high.
Many people start off merely experimenting with drugs, especially in the teen years. The strong need to belong, combined with peer influence, all too often convince someone to drink or use drugs all in the name of fun. Oftentimes, friends and family have no idea that alcohol or drug use is occurring until it begins to cross the line into drug abuse. It can be difficult to pinpoint when recreational drug use turns into drug abuse. The individual engaging in drug abuse may start using drugs alone instead of socially and become more secretive.
Once a user becomes an addict, they lose control of their higher faculties in the brain. They begin to abuse the drug to achieve its beneficial effects in vain. It is at this point when drug abusers are most vulnerable. If not provided with medical assistance and rehabilitation, they might succumb to the lethal effects of the drug.
No one can predict how many times it takes for a recreational drug user to become an addict. The general consensus defining the point when drug abuse turns into drug addiction is when an individual can simply no longer function without the drug and life has become unmanageable because of it. Drug abuse may lead to more risky behaviors that have a potential for self-harm such as unprotected sex or hanging out with unsavory companions. Although it is not clear whether the transition takes early or late, it is always better to avoid recreational drug use.
The writer is Consultant, Prottoy Medical Clinic Ltd. Dhaka. E-mail: [email protected]
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