Web of Addiction

No one I know who’s an addict and became trapped in the web of addiction started out with the goal to become addicted. People start drinking alcohol, smoking pot, snorting cocaine, taking opiates, etc,, for many reasons. Alcohol is socially accepted, so, it’s not unusual for a person to start drinking socially when they come of age, out of curiosity or because a good friend drinks or for whatever reason- however, becoming an alcoholic is probably not even a consideration or perceived possibility for most people. 

For a good number of young people and many adults, pot is socially accepted, so the same thing applies to pot. With pot, the myth is that it’s not addictive. Many people smoke pot because they see it as less harmful than alcohol or other drugs — in some ways it’s not as harmful, in other ways it’s just as harmful. 

When people start using cocaine, it’s not socially accepted, but once a person breaks that legal barrier they find a community of users that make it easy to use without being an outcast. Sometimes, the thrill of doing something illicit is part of the allure for the cocaine user. But, I’ve never heard a cocaine addict say they started out to become a cocaine addict. Most had heard the horror stories about cocaine, but they thought to themselves that they wouldn’t let it get out of control.

Many opiate users begin using opiates for pain relief, and they definitely don’t intend to become addicted — others start using opiates because someone tells them it’ll make them feel euphoric, so they start using just to get a periodic high, then become addicted. The point is that the web of addiction is created over a period of time. This is something that loved ones, friends, employers, and other significant others can’t understand about someone who’s addicted. They know the person for long time and don’t see anything unusual, then the person starts losing control and acting erratic, which to the onlooker appears to come out of nowhere. The addiction becomes worse in spite of the person saying they are sorry and intend to do better. 

It’s confusing for those who don’t understand addiction to watch someone they’ve known for a long time become trapped in the web of addiction. They wonder how this person could allow it to happen  – they wonder why this person is doing this to themselves and others – they don’t understand why the person just doesn’t stop or gain control. The internal compulsion to use a drug despite negative consequences (a main symptom of addiction) is baffling, until a person fully understands addiction — then it makes sense — then it’s clear the person never intended this to happen, and never intended to hurt others. The web of addiction can be broken, and a person can become free, but first there must be an understanding of addiction. It helps if everyone closely connected to the addicted person understands.