Social Drug Use

Experimental drug use transitions into social drug use when individuals begin to make drug use part of their everyday life. This often means that individuals use their drugs of choice when circumstances in their lives trigger a need for relief. This can involve opiate drug use every time pain occurs, or relying on stimulants like Dexedrine to enable late night studying. When individuals begin relying on drugs to help them get through stressful situations or deal with physical issues, this is a sign that they have moved from experimental drug use to social drug use. This is not to say that drug dependence has occurred yet, but there are changes taking place within the reward center of the brain which alters an individual’s ability to recognize trouble drug use.

It is important to remember that social drug use does not mean that an individual will absolutely become a drug addict. Most people that regularly partake in a glass of wine do not develop alcoholism. At the same time, exposure to illicit drugs such as meth and heroin in social situations will greatly increase the chances that these substances will become gateway drugs for other drug or alcohol addictions. In this addiction stage, most will begin to experience mild or occasional withdrawal symptoms when days go by without use or a night of heavy drinking comes to an end resulting in a hangover. While these symptoms happen, the individual is still able to resist drug or alcohol abuse.

The patterns of use that occur in individuals during this stage of addiction can lead to physical dependence. For individuals choosing to consume large amounts of alcohol several times a week or smoke marijuana every Friday night, the risks of social drug use transitioning to problem drug use are higher. Social drug use can lead to drinking and smoking pot alone, moving from the experimental stage firmly into problem use. These patterns of drug and alcohol use begin to have a negative impact on relationships. Social drug use also affects an individual’s drive to remain responsible for their employment or school studies. While there is still the ability to control use of illicit drugs or alcohol, the relief and comfort found in continued use makes it more difficult to step away from. Should you or someone you know need help with drug use, outpatient rehab services in Huntington Beach are only a phone call away.