7 Reasons Why People Abuse Drugs

There are many reasons as to why individuals abuse drugs, and they will vary greatly from individual to individual. However, in this article, we discuss seven of the most prevelant reasons why people use drugs.

1) Experimental purposes

At a young age, many individuals are curious as to what happens when you take drugs and because of this, end up experimenting. To them it seems quite harmless, however this is not an uncommon way for an addiction to occur.

2) History within the family

If an individual is from a family which has a history of addiction, it is thought that they may develop an addiction themself. It is stated that about 30 – 70% of an individuals risk for addiction is linked to their genes.

3) Prescription drugs

Even though prescription drugs are those prescribed to you by a doctor to help overcome an illness, it is deemed that they are safe. This is not always the case. This is because individuals are not educated on the risks of these drugs and therefore can lead to them becoming dependant on them.

4) Loneliness

Individuals that lack daily interaction can end up feeling isolated from their friends and family. For this reason, they will turn to drugs as they believe it will help them feel less lonely and more content.

5) Peer pressure

When growing up, many individuals give in to peer pressure. As well as this, individuals will take drugs to fit in.

6) The ‘feel good’ feeling

Many people enjoy the effect that taking drugs gives you. They describe it as a ‘feel good’ feeling and because of it, they don’t see the harm in taking drugs if it is making them feel good.

7) Mental health illnesses

A mental health illness can put individuals at a higher risk of developing an addiction as they may use substances to cope with the difficult feelings rather than getting help.