A CLOSER LOOK
Why Do People Use Substances?
The answer may be more familiar than you think.
Substances can change how we feel. They can bring pleasure, relief, energy, calm or connection. They can ease pain, help us stay awake or simply make an experience feel different.
That is part of why people use them.
And once we understand that, there is a question that can help us see much more clearly.
“People use substances because they actually feel good. It gave them a sensation that they appreciated. It made them feel they could engage with people. It made them feel happy. It made them feel less sad. ”
A DIFFERENT WAY TO LOOK AT IT
Substances do things people valueThis sounds simple, but it changes where we begin.
We often hear about substances through the things that can go wrong and that matters. But, it can leave out a very important part of the story we all need: People usually have a reason for reaching for something in the first place.
Sometimes it feels good.
Sometimes it makes connecting with other people easier.
Sometimes someone is simply curious.
Sometimes it brings relief.
Sometimes it helps with pain, sleep, energy or focus.
And sometimes more than one of those things is true.
Sometimes more thav one of these is true.
LOOK A LITTLE CLOSER
Sometimes the answer is surprisingly ordinary.
People use substances for different reasons. What sounds familiar?
More than one thing can be true.
Someone might enjoy how a substance feels and find that it makes socializing easier.
Something might help with pain and also become part of a routine.
Something that helps us relax can simply become what we do at the end of the day
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Substances can produce pleasure and other sensations our brains register as rewarding. Sometimes people use something simply because they like how it feels.
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A substance may temporarily reduce anxiety, sadness, distress or another uncomfortable feeling. Relief can be powerful, too.
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Some substances can change tension, arousal or how we experience stress.
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For some people, a substance can make social interaction feel easier or lower inhibitions.
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Some substances can increase alertness, energy or concentration.
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Sometimes people simply want to know what an experience feels like.
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Some substances can change how we experience physical pain or discomfort.
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Changing how we feel or think can itself be the effect someone is looking for.
THE QUESTION CHANGES
The question we ask changes what we see.
Different substances. Different situations. We can understand more when we start with a different question:
What is the substance doing right now?
I have a second energy drink most afternoons.
We might ask
Why am I reaching for another energy drink?
Or we might ask
What is this energy drink doing for me right now?
Maybe it helps me stay alert. Maybe it helps me focus or get through the afternoon. Maybe I enjoy it. Maybe it has become part of my routine. I may not know yet.
I am still taking prescription pain medication after an injury.
We might ask
Why do I notice such a difference when I do not take it?
Or we might ask
What am I getting from the medication that still matters to me?
Maybe my pain is returning. Maybe the medication helps me sleep or move more comfortably. Maybe I am worried about how I will feel without it. Or maybe my body has adapted to having the medication there. I may not know yet.
I have started using cannabis most evenings.
We might ask
Why do I feel like I need cannabis to unwind?
Or we might ask
What am I looking for when I reach for cannabis ?
Maybe I enjoy how it feels. Maybe I use it to unwind or change how I am feeling. Maybe it has become part of my evening routine. Or maybe there is something else I have not thought about. I may not know yet.
Three different situations. None of them tells us everything on its own.
A different question can help us understand more.
TAKE THIS WITH YOU
We can notice something before we know what it means.
Nothing has to be wrong for something to be worth understanding.
What am I noticing?
Something I enjoy. Something I rely on. Something that feels different. Something I have simply never thought about before.
What might be worth understanding?
What it does for me. When I reach for it. Whether anything has changed. What else might be part of the story.
What could I do with what I notice?
Keep paying attention. Ask a question. Talk with someone I trust. Bring it up with my healthcare provider.
We do not have to decide that something is a problem before we pay attention to it.