Drug use on campus an issue
Mark Green
Issue date: 11/16/09 Section: DSC News
The cheap Oxycontin contributed to increased use by Allen.
"I started doing it just on weekends," he said. "When you are first starting out you only have to do a tiny amount and it messes you up."
Allen said as he became increasingly addicted to the drug, he began using daily.
"Soon it takes over," he said. "It's not like alcohol or pot. You get physically sick when you don't have it."
Allen's steady progression into addiction follows the established trend.
Eschler said: "College students don't just wake up and say 'Let's get addicted to drugs.' Usually there is an underlying need that they believe taking drugs will help to fulfill, and drugs are a shortcut to fulfilling those needs."
Eschler said these needs range from a need to lose weight, common with amphetamines, or a need to fit in socially.
After six months of daily Oxycontin use, Allen said he switched to heroin because it was a lot cheaper and it was the same high, if not better.
As Allen became increasingly addicted to drugs, he said he knew what he was doing was bad for him and that he should quit, but he couldn't quit.
"People told me to quit," he said. "But you come up with excuses and reasons to use. You're never in your right state of mind."
The addictive qualities of most drugs make it extremely difficult for users to quit, even when they know they should. Eschler said most addicts will keep using until the pain caused by their addiction outweighs the good feelings they get from the drug. He said it usually isn't until they experience deep pain and misery that addicts really attempt to get clean, and court orders, support groups and rehab centers rarely help if the addict hasn't hit that low point.
"Programs are largely ineffective," said Eschler. "Something like 97 percent of people relapse again after leaving a treatment program."
Allen continued using heroin and Oxycontin interchangeably for another six months, and during this time things got worse for him and those around him.
"I started doing it just on weekends," he said. "When you are first starting out you only have to do a tiny amount and it messes you up."
Allen said as he became increasingly addicted to the drug, he began using daily.
"Soon it takes over," he said. "It's not like alcohol or pot. You get physically sick when you don't have it."
Allen's steady progression into addiction follows the established trend.
Eschler said: "College students don't just wake up and say 'Let's get addicted to drugs.' Usually there is an underlying need that they believe taking drugs will help to fulfill, and drugs are a shortcut to fulfilling those needs."
Eschler said these needs range from a need to lose weight, common with amphetamines, or a need to fit in socially.
After six months of daily Oxycontin use, Allen said he switched to heroin because it was a lot cheaper and it was the same high, if not better.
As Allen became increasingly addicted to drugs, he said he knew what he was doing was bad for him and that he should quit, but he couldn't quit.
"People told me to quit," he said. "But you come up with excuses and reasons to use. You're never in your right state of mind."
The addictive qualities of most drugs make it extremely difficult for users to quit, even when they know they should. Eschler said most addicts will keep using until the pain caused by their addiction outweighs the good feelings they get from the drug. He said it usually isn't until they experience deep pain and misery that addicts really attempt to get clean, and court orders, support groups and rehab centers rarely help if the addict hasn't hit that low point.
"Programs are largely ineffective," said Eschler. "Something like 97 percent of people relapse again after leaving a treatment program."
Allen continued using heroin and Oxycontin interchangeably for another six months, and during this time things got worse for him and those around him.
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coursework help
posted 11/24/09 @ 4:30 PM MST
Drugs are real problem.
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