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Drug Abuse

Description of the Problem

We are often concerned when we meet a friend who seems overcome by the effect of drugs he has been taking or over-using.   Our immediate concern is for such a person, especially when he seems to be out of control, not functioning well at all.  We often worry whether such a one can ever get back to normal. We ask “Is this person addicted to drug talking?”

When is there addiction?  We can become addicted to many things.  This happens when we begin taking drugs such as alcohol, nicotine, marijuana, cocaine or heroin. And we may not know how to change our behaviour.

Strictly speaking, Substance Use implies a mis-managed use of common psychoactive substances, even caffeine and alcohol.  These drugs too can change our awareness and our moods.  We often take them for that very reason, without adverting to the dangers of our decision.

Substance Intoxication implies that our judgement has becomes impaired through our taking drugs.  We can experience “getting high”, getting drunk, or big mood changes. We tend not to know what we are really doing when we are in such a state.

Substance Abuse implies that the use of drugs is disturbing our life e.g. interrupting our education, making us miss work, sometimes disturbing our relationships with others, especially those close to us.

Substance Dependence implies being addicted to a drug and not being able to manage it at all.  We can find ourselves always wanting to take more, even when we do not need it.  We may have begun to feel physiological dependence, i.e we need to have some of this substance in our body to feel we can function normally.  Another thing that happens is that we acquire a greater tolerance to the drug.  We need to take it in greater amounts for the same effect.  When we stop taking the drug we experience “withdrawal” which has a negative effect on our body.  There is often pain, headaches and sometimes worse when we stop taking the drug, and try to give it up.

We begin to know that we have become drug addicted when some of the following behaviours happen to us.  For example, we experience a desperate need to have the drug – we may steal money to get it, or stand out in the cold to have a smoke.  These things indicate that a psychological dependence on the drug has begun.

Can we use and not abuse?  Can we use and not become dependent?  These questions can be answered as “Yes”.  However, there are dangers associated with such decisions.

Prevention of Potential Addiction

It is hard to know whether one is potentially an addict and it cannot easily be predicted.  If others in our family behave in “addictive ways” there is a greater likelihood that it could happen to us.  There are many studies that indicate that such problems are part of certain families.  There may be a genetic predisposition - it is ‘in our blood’ as we say. 

If we have a sound level of knowledge of the impact of taking drugs in any form, this will help us to understand what is going on for both ourselves and others.

Dependence on drugs can be both physiological (our body needs to have the drug in it to function) and psychological (we want to feel the effects of the drug). 

In order to raise the possibility of not being caught in the trap of addiction we can begin by:

Monitoring our normal health: We can watch carefully for any changes of our state of health.  When we notice any change, we can think about it, go to a clinic and get a good diagnosis and find out the best steps to take to cure the problem.

Monitoring of normal responses to substances imbibed e.g. social drugs:  We need to look carefully at our responses to social or “normal” drugs, such as cigarettes, beer and other forms of alcohol. When we find that excessive use is changing our way of speaking or thinking, or our speed of reacting, then we need to take action.  This is why we should not try to drive a car when we have had too much to drink.  We will be slow in responding to the cars around us and we will not know how or what to do in a situation of danger.

Monitoring of normal psychological health:  We should take notice of changes of moods and feelings.  If they change drastically then it would be better to talk with a friend or a counsellor rather than go and take another drug in the hope of changing us back to what we were before.

Monitoring our behaviour and changes in our relationships:  When we look carefully at our normal behaviour and especially when we notice changes in our relationships after we have taken drugs, then we have a chance to stop this before the problem becomes worse.  If we are being disturbed then it is likely that our relationship to workmates and friends, and especially to our wife or husband, may begin to change.  We will feel different about them, uncomfortable in their presence.  If this is so, then something needs to change.

Who does the monitoring?  This question is an easy one.  Obviously you yourself are important as a monitor.  However, your wife, husband or friends can also help you in this task.  You need to take notice of what they say to you and about you.  This may give an indication of whether they are concerned by changes they notice, and that you may not notice.

If there are signs of mismanagement of behaviour, then action needs to be taken.  You need to change your behaviour.  You need to give away the drug and begin to return to your former good behaviour. And the problem areas that may have prompted you to drink, or take this or that drug will need to be attended to.  Perhaps you can sit down with a friend at first, see what they think and discuss how you might change - then make a determined effort to change.  If that does not work, then you may need to see someone like a professional counsellor, or a doctor who has special training in this matter.

Your God wants you to be the best person you can be.  Do not let problems associated with drugs make you a lesser person when seeking appropriate advice and treatment can change it all.