Hesperian Health Guides
Use and Misuse of Alcohol and Drugs
HealthWiki > Where Women Have No Doctor > Chapter 28: Alcohol and Other Drugs > Use and Misuse of Alcohol and Drugs
How does alcohol or drug use start?
People start using alcohol and other drugs for many reasons. Young people often begin using them because of social pressure. Boys may face pressure to drink or use drugs to prove their manhood. Girls may feel it makes them appear more mature and likable. But using alcohol or drugs does not make someone an adult, and use can be harmful, especially at a young age.
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| Some advertisements, music, and movies encourage young people to drink and use drugs. |
Companies use advertisements to sell more and make more money by showing fun, successful, and attractive young people using drugs and alcohol. This encourages people to use drugs and alcohol so they can be fun, successful, and attractive too. This kind of pressure is especially harmful, because often people are not aware it is affecting them.
When does use become misuse?
Alcohol and drugs are easily misused. Misuse is when people lose control over when and how much they use, can no longer control what they do while using, or develop health problems from using. People misusing alcohol or drugs often:
- feel they cannot go through the day without having a drink or using drugs.
- hide it or lie about how much they use.
- have trouble meeting their financial, family, and work responsibilities.
- have trouble controlling their behavior. They may become violent, steal to get drugs, ruin celebrations, and feel shame later about what they did.
Some drugs that are often used in harmful ways are:
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If using a drug is changing your life, try to get help before the drug harms you, your family, or your friendships.
Why people misuse drugs and alcohol
Some people misuse alcohol and drugs to escape problems in their lives, like losing their home or their partner, being mistreated or abused, or the death of a family member. When people do not feel they can change their lives, alcohol or drugs can seem like a way to cope, to feel less pain, or to feel more happiness, confidence, or power.
Because these feelings do not last, people need to use more to feel that way again.
Women often have even less power than others to change their lives so may turn to alcohol or drugs to feel something other than hopeless.
Unfortunately, drugs and alcohol usually make all these problems worse, and people feel even less able to take charge of their lives. Instead of looking for ways to improve their situations, people who misuse drugs or alcohol often spend their time, money, and health trying to avoid and forget their problems.
Misuse can also run in families. Misusing alcohol or drugs is more common for people whose parents tried to escape problems this way. Children who see this at home also learn to do it, and the tendency to misuse alcohol or drugs can be passed from parents to children.