What Is Drug Abuse?

By Author: Lorenzo Mejia
Total Articles: 5
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When I was asked to write this article, I gave it a lot of thought and did some heavy-duty reflection. Since I have been an alcohol abuser, in the past I felt that I could honestly deal with the subject and attempt to answer the question, "What is Drug Abuse?"


I was deeply involved in the world of motorcycles, for much of my life. I am between bikes right now, though. This started in the early 60s and the people I knew were the real deal (bikers). Today the average, long-haired, tattooed "outlaw wannabe" you see on the road today, works a 9 to 5 in a law or accounting firm, during the week.


Many of the guys I rode with transported or "ran" drugs and sold drugs, for a living; all were users or into drug abuse. At parties or just hangin' I would take a hit off a passing joint; which made me a user. Had I fired up a spliff, often just to pass the time or needed it to "mellow out", like some friends, I would have been an abuser." What is drug abuse?" was a question no one asked in those days.


Back in those bad old days cocaine wasn't for us poor bikers - speed (amphetamines), ...
... grass (marijuana), hash (a concentrated product of marijuana), dust (PCP), magic mushrooms (psilocybin) and horse (heroin) were the drugs du jour. Only your mama took prescription pain killers, but we all drank alcohol.


As I said before, I abused alcohol and it so happens that alcohol is an easy to understand example of use, abuse and addiction.
Any person who drinks (even one drink per month) is a user.
Any person who goes out drinking and often gets hammered (drunk) is an abuser.


Any person who requires alcohol to function under normal circumstances and reacts to not having it is an alcoholic (addicted to alcohol).


I was fortunate that my experience of getting high on grass actually scared me. I wasn't required to do drugs by some "biker code" or anything; I didn't even drink and ride.


My friends from those days are mostly dead and gone, because they mixed motorcycles and drugs or alcohol. Substance abuse is never good, but motorcycles are unforgiving things, often making it a lethal mistake. In fact too many times drugs are deadly, all by themselves.


It was kind of an eye opener when I admitted to myself that I was a substance abuser. That really is the first step, once you own the fact that you are an abuser, only then are you on the way to recovery and avoiding the substance you abuse. Drug abuse is not simply drug use, but fortunately neither is it addiction. It is your wakeup call and time to seek professional help.


I hope that "What is drug abuse?" has been answered to the extent that seeing this behavior in yourself or a loved one creates the desire to take back full control of life and not let chemistry rule your thinking or your actions.

For more information about Drug Abuse Rehab please visit http://www.drug-rehabcenter.com/drugs-of-abuse