Question

1. What motivates us to use substances? This could include anything from coffee to "hard drugs" like LSD or Herion.

2. What's the boundary between someone responsibly using substances vs abusing substances?

3. Thoughts about what one could do to manage or stop using a substance?

Answer 1

1. One of the most important reasons we use substance is for the pleasure it gives. Most people feel high and enjoy a moment of pleasure when they consume substance and it may be a cup of coffee. Secondly, we use substance for fun as we would be forced by our peers as a recreational aspect. Most of us begin our substance use from our friends. Finally, some people also use substance in order to get out of reality. They do this in order to get out of their stress and depression.

2. Everything has a limit and substances have their own impact on the human body. The consequences of substances on other people are also very important as too much of substance use or abuse of substances would lead one to act in a more complicated manner. Thus, as long as one’s substance use doesn’t affect one’s physical, emotional and social wellbeing, it would stay recreational but the time it affects them, it becomes abuse.

3. One of the most important support system one can have to fight substance abuse is family and friends. When one has a good network of people who respect, value and support one, one might not engage in any negative health behaviours such as the substance abuse. Secondly, when one engages in other healthy habits such as, sports, reading or even gardening, one might not get trapped in substance abuse. Finally, when one realises the consequences and ill effects of drugs on one, one might stay away from them.

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