| Does drug abuse exist primarily in the mind of the | | | | dulling out their abilities to see these problems. At |
| abuser or is drug abuse society's problem? | | | | times the problems right in front of them are unseen |
| Somewhat of a philosophical question, agreed. Let's | | | | by a drug abuser. Other times issues from their past |
| get right down into the reality of the matter and skip | | | | are blocked out. |
| the pretense. | | | | Let's take a look at one way drug abusers dull their |
| Drug Abusers Think Society Should Change To Fit | | | | perception of the past with drugs and with other |
| Into Their Realities | | | | mental 'tricks'. |
| To understand the boldness of this statement I will | | | | Drug abuse, including marijuana abuse, pharmaceutical |
| enlighten you on what is happening inside a drug | | | | abuse and alcohol abuse have one thing in common: |
| abusers head. This may not be pretty, sorry if I use | | | | Justification |
| real life examples. But if you found your way to this | | | | As a drug rehab consultant, I hear more justification |
| article, you're ready for it. | | | | for drug abuse and use than most. Here are some |
| How Drug Abusers See The World | | | | rather common and even infamous justifications I've |
| They see the same trees, the same cars and the | | | | heard over the years. |
| same family members who are upset or distressed | | | | Mental Justifications: |
| by their addiction. But they also 'see' other things. | | | | - They don't understand |
| To continue this analogy of seeing things that aren't | | | | - I just need one more hit, then it'll be OK |
| seen by everyone else, let's consider the mind as a | | | | - What's the big deal, it's just one time |
| collection of full picture and sound files in one's | | | | - This will fix things and I'll make it through for a while |
| personal computer. This personal computer is ones' | | | | longer |
| mind. The mind has millions of memories or files | | | | Drug Abusers Are Running Away From Something, |
| stored of past experience or conclusions or | | | | Aren't They? |
| imaginations. All these files are stored in your mental | | | | Reactively, most people avoid pain. When the truth |
| computer. | | | | contains pain, the truth will be avoided. |
| What happens when drug abusers experience things | | | | Pain is also stored in the minds' memory pictures. |
| they don't want to? | | | | When painful experience is re-triggered by life, the |
| Here's the problem: Drugs dull perceptions. Drugs are | | | | painful part also returns. Drug abusers instinctively |
| essentially pain killers. Drugs kill mental, emotional and | | | | avoid this pain. That's when justification is put to use |
| or physical pain. That means something that is | | | | by the abuser of drugs. Justification is a method of |
| distressing a person can appear to reduce. The | | | | being right and avoiding the discomfort and pain of |
| stress seems to go away a bit by the drugs dulling | | | | unpleasant memory. |
| or hiding the experience from the person. They can't | | | | The mind must be right. This is the minds' senior |
| see or experience the discomfort as readily. | | | | command - always be right. Not necessarily truthful, |
| Sometimes these discomforts come from the past. | | | | just right. A drug abuser is trying to create a world |
| Remember the mind is made up of past experiences | | | | where they are right in avoiding reality, even if it kills |
| or memory pictures. | | | | them. That's why they continue to abuse drugs. |
| Drug abusers have been solving their problems by | | | | |