Choice Of Drug Use

Why do we reach for and continue to take some drugs and not others?

Have you ever wondered why some people become addicted to some drugs and not others? I have. From my experiences over the years it became clear that there were underlying issues associated to the choice of drug used. After the initial sorting through the compost of fears, life experiences and reaction patterns, identifying the underlying reason can still be difficult to recognize. Usually it started as a way to avoid or hide from a difficult life experience because there was no one around to turn to for help.

Waiting until is person is ready to explore the question about why they reached for a drug and take responsibility to heal themselves is critical. And I have found when working in a counselling or meditation therapy setting being direct with a question about the first drug used and the issue it relates to can cut through most illusions and create a pathway that assists the healing/counselling/reeducation process. So I invite you to consider the following listed information –

Alcohol abuse comes from attempting to deal with issues related to sex and violence and is one of the most difficult of the moveable dependencies to deal with because of its long historical use and acceptance in Western society.

Nicotine is generally used when there is an underlying fear of responsibility that is masked as anger. It provides the body with a false sense of security.

Those who reach for Marijuana are not able to let go of a specific past trauma in their life and often claim that by using this drug they gain intuitional insights but these are random and confusing so accuracy of such perceptions is always suspect.

Heroin use stems from low self-worth and underlying issues of self-nurturing which has causal roots in what nurturing means to them which leads back to relationships with women and ultimately the mother.

Methadone use grounds the person and gives respite from the experience of extreme emotional see-sawing and provides time for a person to re-order their lives and time for the mind to bring their Will into play. But it is only a stopgap method.

People who are drawn to Cocaine are usually naturally clairvoyant and not able to cope with what they experience. Their first experience will have usually occurred at a very early age. If asked, they often clearly remember this.

People attracted to use Speed mistake intense reactions for passion and go through life with little respect for time, spiritual values and not working through and emotionally valuing experiences; and therefore try to avoid sadness.

Ecstasy use is about avoidance, lack of self-acceptance, generational anger , not wanting to individualize – a Peter Pan complex It seriously damages the sense of containment of the self. The personality contracts, though the user advocates that the reverse occurs. All physical senses are compressed into one consciousness level and the sense of self is usually expressed in terms of the group identity.

The appeal of LSD may be to experience hallucinations but pride and ego are the main issues to be addressed. Concepts of karma and past lives are usually required to be understood, for in severe damage, the person may be attempting to re-live a past life.

A person abusing Morphine attempts to address feelings of mortification and the feeling that one has ‘stood still in their life’. The person usually does not understand that standing still is a time to review one’s life, and in this situation related to a greater understanding of social responsibilities of parenting.

Mushrooms users tend to daydream and fantasize of what might be, rather than work with the availability of choices and paths open to them in the present. A mental repression/depression occurs as a result of their reactions to harsh verbal criticisms experienced and internalized.

Valium has sometimes a short term purpose to initially assist in dealing with extreme stress until other coping and management strategies are put in place. If no other coping and management strategies are put in place dependency can result. Emotional reactions are minimized and their sense of purpose and fulfilment of life becomes hidden to them.

Please note healing from the damage done by drug use is always possible and one should never give up hope.