Blog - Beach House Rehab Center
A male and female sitting at a party surrounded by alcohol bottles and drug paraphernalia.
April 4, 2019

Why Do People Get High?

If your loved one is addicted to a substance, you may be asking, “Why do people get high?” To an outsider, it can be challenging to understand why an individual would use a substance that can have a number of negative side effects on their health. Unfortunately, substance abuse often goes beyond just a desire to get high and stems from a number of underlying causes.

If you are looking to better understand substance abuse and addiction, our inpatient drug rehab facility is here to help. Through this article, we will discuss the most common reasons people get high and other signs that someone is abusing.  By educating yourself with this information, you’ll have a better understanding of why your loved one is abusing drugs and what you can do to stop it.

Reasons Why People Use Drugs and Get High

Before diving in, it’s important to note that every person will have different reasons based on their personality or past experiences. The most common factors that cause people to turn to drug abuse are listed below.

Peer Pressure

This reason for getting high is more common in adolescents and young adults. Some individuals may feel the need to get high because the rest of their group is doing it as well. Other members in the group may also be pressuring them to try a substance or drink alcohol. In this specific case, young adults may feel they need to get high in order to feel accepted within their social group.

Isolation and Loneliness

Another reason why some individuals may get high is that they are feeling lonely. When an individual begins to feel isolated from society, they may turn to substances to fill the void from a lack of human contact. As individuals fall deeper into the cycle of addiction, they may further isolate themselves, which compounds their feelings of loneliness and unhappiness, perpetuating their cycle of abuse. While getting high may make an individual feel less isolated and lonely in the short-term, it often alienates them further as their substance abuse continues.

Genetic Vulnerability

Some individuals have a genetic predisposition that make them vulnerable to addiction. If an individual is exposed to drug abuse and addiction from a young age, they are at a higher risk of developing a dependence later on in life.

Self-Medication

Some individuals struggling with a physical or mental illness may turn to drugs or alcohol as a way to self-medicate. For example, individuals suffering from conditions that leave them in chronic pain may turn to smoking marijuana as a way to relieve their symptoms.  People with a mental illness like anxiety or depression may also try to to manage their condition through drugs and alcohol. However, self-medicating with substance abuse is a short-term solution that does not provide comprehensive treatment for the underlying issue. When an individual is suffering from both a drug addiction and a mental health disorder, they will need to enroll in a dual-diagnosis treatment center to get the help they need.

Experimentation

Some people begin trying substances and getting high as a form of experimentation. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIH), adolescents that experiment with alcohol and drugs are more likely to develop a substance abuse disorder.

Cultural Attitudes

The community and the cultural attitudes on drug use can also play a role in some individuals. For example, if a person is attending a school where the majority of the students are recreationally using drugs, they may be more likely to try it themselves. Human beings can be greatly influenced by their culture, especially when it comes to drug use and alcohol consumption.

Wrapping Up

If you or a loved one is abusing drugs, the time to get help is now. Our drug detox program covers both the physical and mental aspects of treatment. To start, we first help individuals get through their withdrawal symptoms in a safe and supportive environment. From there, we provide therapy for our patients to identify the underlying causes of their substance abuse and discuss healthier alternatives.  

If you’re ready to change your life for the better, call our Florida drug rehab center today to discuss your treatment options.

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