When people suffering from drug addiction are questioned, the common response is regret, but also confusion. They might say something like “I don’t understand” or, “I never saw it coming, it started as a regular habit, and before I knew it, it was an addiction.” It highlights a dangerous misconception around drug abuse — namely “regular” drug use. Unfortunately, too many people fall into the prison of drug addiction.
So many people are driven by curiosity; they want to see what certain substances taste like, and they mistakenly believe that just one use is enough for just the “experience”. However, this panning out is extremely rare, and it is the most common way people fall into the addiction spiral.
It could happen to you
It’s true that some people have a higher tolerance for addictive substances than others. However, while this is true on rare occasions, it is far more common that even a few casual uses of most illegal drugs are enough to trigger a switch in your brain demanding to consume the substance again and again.
Now no matter how much you know you shouldn’t do drugs again, your new addiction overrides this and your brain discards rational thinking until it’s satisfied. That is the reason why drug addiction can technically be considered a form of brain disease.
Once Enough
Another indisputable fact is that even a single drug use is dangerous enough to make “casual user” a dangerous term. Due to the illegality of most substances, there is nothing to regulate the drug trade, which means that drugs are often mixed with toxic substances in order to get more profit from the buyer. And the drug itself can become poison with just one use.
There have been many deaths from the one-time use of ecstasy, and especially its trendy form, MDMA or “molly”. Imagine trying drugs “just once,” only for it to be the last time you try anything.
Get help
Recovery from substance abuse is a long and arduous road, but in western society there are many useful resources to help you. Drug rehabilitation is no longer looked down upon, but with hope and guidance. This revolutionary method of rehabilitation allows people to feel comfortable, confident and receive the support they need from licensed professionals, and even psychiatrists who can diagnose accompanying mental problems.
So even if you think you’re just an “ordinary” drug user, step back and think about what kind of damage that might be doing to your health, and what dangers you’re really in.
