Coping With Substance Abuse

Substance abuse does not only affect the victim, it affects family and loved ones. The four most common substances that are abused are alcohol, prescription drugs, cigarettes and illegal drugs. Unfortunately there is no tell-tale sign to say you are an addict. Mood altering chemicals are different than say anti-depressants that are prescribed by your doctor. Cigarettes on the other hand fall under the substance category, but they are not in the same group as other drugs are. The difference between abuse and addiction is, addiction you can’t function without it, you have no control. It takes over your life and destroys not just you, but everyone around you.

Addiction dates back to the Civil War and the passing of the Harrison Act, and over centuries it has gotten worse. Back then people were treated with narcotics for injuries sustained in war, but they were not considered addicts. It was common practice to give someone a pain killer or morphine. It was not considered abuse until the 1920s when people would take advantage of the narcotics. That started it spiraling at a non stop rate right into present time. Law enforcement and the Government have enacted stronger penalties for this, but it will never totally end. As long as we have drugs we will have addicts.

If you suspect someone you know has a problem with drugs talk to them. A lot of people with addictions do not even realize that they have a problem or they won’t admit it. When someone has an abuse problem, they do not care how or what they have to do to get another hit. They will do anything, including robbery. The ones that they seem to take advantage of the most is their family