There are a lot of reasons why people use drugs, and those reasons differ with every individual. It’s quite common for young people to experiment with drugs because of peer pressure, but did you know that this isn’t the only reason why people tend to take drugs? Here are a few lesser-known reasons why people turn to drugs.

Prescribed medication

Sometimes, the medication that the doctor or healthcare practitioner prescribes to you can be addictive and it’s easy for you to overlook the risk factors because you might not assume the medication you get from your healthcare practitioner could possibly be dangerous, right?

The belief that the medication prescribed by healthcare practitioners is harmless is dangerous because it can lead to an overdose, dependency on drugs or even unintended side effects. That’s why it’s best that you take your medication exactly as prescribed by the  doctor or nurse to avoid the possibility of an addiction. There are some medications that are more addictive than others, so ask your healthcare practitioner about it whenever you’re prescribed new medication.

Weight loss

Being a teenager can be tough and the pressure to look a certain way doesn’t make life any easier, so many young people turn to diet pillsor drugs for assistance. Some diet pills can be addictive or misused (taking more than what you’re prescribed) which can damage your health. There are also cases of young people abusing laxatives and appetite-suppressants in order to lose weight.

Many of the drugs people generally abuse lead to weightloss and this could be the reason why so many young people turn to drugs. The truth is, when you abuse drugs you lose more than your weight- you also lose your health and your general wellbeing. So turning to drugs because of the pressure to lose weight is definitely not worth it. Focus instead of loving and accepting yourself and adopting a healthy lifestyle.

Mental illness

People suffering from mental illness tend to turn to alcohol or drugs to ease their pain. This can be a scary experience if you don’t know how to reach out for help. 

If you’re going through something and need someone to talk to visit SADAG (The South African Depression Group) and ask for help. Drugs might temporarily numb the pain, but the mental health risks are not worth it.

Injury

When a person gets severely injured, they are sometimes prescribed strong painkillers to make it bearable. Because of the strength of the painkillers and some of their effects, it is quite easy for the person to get addicted and continue taking them, even after their injuries have healed. This is common with drugs like morphine.

Knowing and educating yourself about the risks of using drugs as an experiment, coping mechanism or even to fill a void is half a win for the battle against drug abuse and addiction. Understand the risks as well so that you’re more likely to make better decisions for yourfuture.

For help with dealing with drug addiction or if you want to know more about preventing drug addiction you can contact SANCA (South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency)  on 011 892 3829, sancanational@telkomsa.net or WhatsApp 076 535 1701.

If you need someone to talk to, you can also speak to me for advice or help here on Ask Choma, send me a Facebook Message, a Twitter DM, or a WhatsApp Message (071 172 3657).