UNDERSTANDING DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE

+ Patterns of drug use

People use drugs in lots of different ways. These are descriptions of the most common ones:

Experimental

Lots of young people experiment with alcohol and/or other drugs at some stage during their teenage years. Someone might try a drug because they are curious or friends are using it, or just because it is there.

Recreational

A large number of young people will continue from experimenting to using drugs recreationally. This is usually using substances socially, for example drinking at a party or taking pills at a festival.

Situational

This is where drugs are used in specific situations. An example is using amphetamines to stay awake during exam preparation, or drinking heavily to get through an emotional time of the year.

Intensive

This is where drugs are used often (regularly) and heavily. This type of use may be more likely to result in negative impacts on different parts of life.

Dependant

This is where someone doesn’t feel like they have a real choice in using. If they have been using regularly, they start to feel worse if they don’t use. Many young people describe this as feeling like they are not in control of the use, the drug is in control of them. Patterns of drug use are not pathways – people don’t always go from one type of use to the next on the list.

Also, one person can have different patterns depending on the drug. They might use alcohol on the weekend with certain friends (situationally) and use cannabis every day (dependent).

+ Why do people use drugs and alcohol?

Figuring out why you use drugs is important for when you want to make changes, and so you can look after yourself. You probably use drugs for a reason, and even if your use is causing problems the reason for your use is likely valid and understandable.

Everyone has a different reason for using.

Here are some of the most common reasons people give for using drugs and/or alcohol:

To stop feeling bored
To help unwind and relax
To help sleep
To get motivated
To help with painful feelings – e.g. grief, anxiety, anger
To slow down racing thoughts
To fit in
To just feel good
To feel comfortable in social situations
To have interesting ideas and be creative
To relieve pain
So problems aren’t as much of a bother
To help with side effects from medication

It isn’t always obvious why you are using drugs or alcohol. In fact, It can be really useful to know why you are using certain drugs.

Understanding your own reasons will help you make better decisions about how and when you use, and can also help you make changes.

Drug and alcohol services and workers can help you explore why you use. They might ask questions like:

Are you always with the same people when you use?
Are you always feeling sad before you use and happy after?
Are you using more when you feel stressed or anxious?

If you are feeling worried about your drug or alcohol use and want to talk to someone Contact Us

+ Drugs, alcohol and your mental health

There can be strong relationships between emotional and mental health and drug use, but it isn’t always direct or simple.

You may have heard or read something like: smoking weed causes schizophrenia or ice makes you paranoid. The truth is much more complicated.

Drugs can change the way you feel, which is one of the reasons people use them. So it isn’t surprising that there can be links between using substances and your brain health and wellbeing.

Here are some of the common connections:

People using drugs to feel better when they are distressed, feel down, or have mental health concerns.
People feel down and distressed because they use drugs or as a result of using drugs.
Sometimes the relationship is more complex where drugs may help to relieve mental health concerns in the short term but add to them later or over time.

For some people there is no relationship between the two.

There is research that says certain drugs can sometimes make existing mental health issues worse. For example, people who already experience psychosis and then use cannabis could find their symptoms become more severe.

Understanding how your substance use and your mental health relate to each other can be helpful. Taking time to think about your mental health, emotions, moods and feelings at the same time as your drug use can be a way to see if there are any patterns of links.

If you are not sure what to do and want to talk to someone Contact Us

Eche12 May 2020