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Why do I have a problem with drugs & alcohol?

There are a lot of reasons why people abuse drugs and alcohol. It is most important to identify and solve the underlying problem leading you to experiment or abuse these substances before you become addicted.

You probably know better than anyone just why you drink or use drugs. Each kid has his/her own reasons. Adults tend to assume that kids use drugs because they have low self-esteem, are responding to peer pressure or are imitating or reacting to their parents’ own behavior. But this may not always be true.

Here are some of the reasons kids have told us that they abuse tobacco, alcohol, street and prescription drugs:

• Using drugs and/or alcohol gives them a sense of belonging to a group
• It helps them cope with stress, anxiety and conflicts
• It gives them pleasure (creating positive emotions)
• It makes them feel more creative (enhancing their insight and imagination)
• It lowers inhibitions and makes them more assertive verbally, physically or sexually

There are other ways of experiencing, coping, creating, feeling good, and belonging without drinking and using drugs. If you want to stop drinking or using drugs, you will have to examine the reasons you began in the first place or continue to use them.

Be honest with yourself. Denial is a big factor in substance abuse and addiction. Substance abusers spend a lot of time, even years, denying that they have an abuse problem, or an underlying problem that may be leading to the abuse. This is because they don’t see any other way out.