Everyone has heard how bad drugs can be. We are taught all the way through school how drugs can mess up your life, we hear about the war on drugs, about the opioid crisis and overdosing epidemics. This is a pretty common fact that permeates society. And yet there continues to be a problem. So how does a person who has been repeatedly told how bad drugs are become one of those who is addicted, or worse yet, a casualty of overdose?
Overdosing on drug information
There are a number of reasons that might make a person turn to drugs. For some it is curiosity, that intrigue of the unknown and forbidden. For others it is an escape from the difficulties of reality and everyday life. These are just a couple examples of that initial trial that too often leads to an awful addiction. For those chasing that high and that escape, there is always the pull to use. But there are also adverse heroin effects and negative effects to many other drugs that are used recreationally as well. Often, the user is fully aware of the problems associated with the drugs in question, but choose to ignore them or act in spite of them. For some, it is an act of defiance against authority, after a lifetime of being fed all of that information about how drug use is to be avoided at all costs. Whatever the case may be, the problem persists.
Opioid drugs and the many different faces of addiction
Thanks to movies and other media, many people have a certain perception of the type of person who might abuse drugs. However there is more to the drug problem than spotting signs of heroin use. While adverse heroin effects are also something to be mindful of, there is another form of substance abuse that sometimes goes unnoticed. Addiction to prescription painkillers is a massive problem. People in your life who you would never imagine to be associated with drug abuse could inadvertently become addicted after an accident or surgery, when they are prescribed medication to manage their pain. Substance abuse treatment is available for this type of addiction as well as for those battling heroin effects and other hard recreational drugs.
It is very easy to pass judgment on someone you do not know, who is dealing with a situation you have never had to go through. But keeping in mind the challenges that might be faced leading up to and through drug addiction could help bring empathy and understanding in place of judgment.