Читать книгу A Parent's Guide to Substance Abuse and Addiction - Kellena Page - Страница 7

People use drugs for many different reasons. One reason is because drugs initially produce a “high” or pleasurable feeling.^{4, 13, 16} Trying to replicate the high that is felt with first-time drug use is often the reason why many people use the drug again.^{4, 13, 16} While first-time drug use is largely voluntary, a person’s ability to control their drug use can quickly vanish.¹³ Drugs change the brain’s structure and how it works, so important areas of the brain that control judgment, decision-making, learning, memory, and behavior control can be impaired.¹³ These changes are thought to cause the compulsive and destructive behaviors that are seen in drug addicts.¹³

Drugs can also be used to self-medicate.^{4, 13} For example, if someone has social anxiety, they may drink alcohol at parties or other social gatherings in order to feel relaxed and reduce feelings of distress. In fact, stress can be a major factor in beginning or continuing to abuse drugs and can often lead to relapse in people who are recovering from addiction.^{4, 13, 16} Also, people who feel pressure to improve their athletic or cognitive performance may turn to drugs, such as steroids or stimulants, in order to do so.^{4, 13} Another common reason people use drugs is out of curiosity or “because others are doing it.”¹³