Why Don’t Drug Addicts Just Stop Doing Drugs? The Reality of Addiction

The big question non-addicts have for drug addicted people is,

 “Why don’t you just stop doing drugs?”

Common sense tells you this question makes a lot of sense! Unfortunately, addiction does not make sense to the person who suffers with is addiction, or to the family and friends who watch their loved ones wither away and lose reality. Common sense only takes a part in addiction before the person becomes addicted. Common sense tells us:  do not use drugs – they become addicting!

If addiction was a choice, . . .

How many people would choose that option?

Most drug use begins for 3 reasons: 1. Peer pressure, 2. Depression, 3. Seeking fun or to escape.

After a person uses drugs (caffeine, alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana, crack, methamphetamines, cocaine, heroin, LSD, prescription pills, etc.) even one time – they may become addicted. However, many people believe the lie that they will not make that mistake, as if there is some way to control becoming addicted.

The only way to control addiction is to not use drugs!

The brain reacts to the chemicals in drugs in such a way that it builds immunity to the poisons in them. This is what keeps the person from dying when used in small amounts. How many times a person does the drug before it becomes addicting is not in their control. The individual brain function controls when the addiction kicks in. The person may not even realize they are becoming addicted until it is too late. Usually it is the people around them that realize they have a problem.

Which brings us to the answer of the age old question of . . .     

“Why don’t they just quit?”

The answer cannot come in the form of words, because it is a feeling the body gets when it needs or is addicted to something. To answer that question, one needs to simulate the feeling as guided below. Once addicted to a drug or drugs, the person’s brain no longer functions properly without the drug in the body. Something happens inside the brain that tells itself the drug is like air. The body needs it to live.

Have you ever tried to stop breathing?

Even just for a day? Why not? Because your body is addicted to air. Hold your breath now, for as long as you can muster. (Do not pass out.) Do you feel that panicky feeling? It feels like you want to scream, climb a wall, bang your fists on something, reach out for help. Every trigger in your brain and body is telling you, you need to breathe. And the only way to feel better is to take the air in.

When you go without something your body has become addicted to, it is difficult to tell your brain it is time to stop. Your brain and your body both scream out to you, to take it in! No matter what information you have stored in your brain to the opposite. You will not feel normal until you take in what you are addicted to.

Now try it again, but this time repeat to yourself confirmations that you do not need air to live and that you are going to stop breathing today. Just as a drug addict has tried over and over again in their daily battle to regain control over their body. Did it work? Of course not, because your body does need air to live. We know that our bodies don’t need drugs to live, in fact, drug use makes us die faster. But you cannot tell the inner workings of the brain that once you have introduced those chemicals.

 Addiction is real. The feeling is real.

Reality is: The only way to stop taking drugs, is to get help.

Addicts need help to withdraw safely and for good. They need a place they cannot obtain a fresh supply, they need love and support – but it is a battle they must face in their psyche.

Once the body and the brain are weaned from the chemicals, hopefully the addict has the common sense to not do drugs ever again!