Substance abuse and its underlying causes

The War on Drugs campaign of the current regime in the Philippines unveils a wider issue of
substance abuse. Pushers are not only driven by money but they themselves does not want drugs
to be eradicated because of their addiction to it. Drug addiction is not made by choice alone, it is
a disease condition where the brain and body are already accustomed to large amounts of abused
drugs that the person himself cannot stop taking it by choice. Unfortunately, the stigma around
substance abuse being a disease is still rampant in our country and is a major setback for truly
dealing with this societal issue.

There are numerous causes and reasons of drug addiction, and every individual suffering from it
needs professional help. According to Mayoclinic.org, substance abuse can first stem up from
experimental usage of recreational drugs due to peer pressure or curiosity itself. And, because of
the addicting nature of recreational drugs such as cocaine and ecstasy, the onetime take becomes
more and more frequent. In other cases, drug addiction starts from abusing prescribed painkillers
such as Morphine. The severity of addiction and how fast it casts upon a person varies by drug,
Opioid painkillers such as Morphine have higher risk and can make a person addicted to it faster.

As Drug addiction is a disease wherein the body itself causes the person to dive onto it more and
more, the approach in combatting this issue must also be blended with medical approach. Aside
from the said above, traumas, co-occurring disorders, genetic predisposition, and sexual and
gender issues can also be the main reason or an impacting factor for substance abuse. According
to National Institute of Drugs Abuse, drug addiction can be treated medically and professionally,
it may not be simple, but it is important to seek help professionally rather than killing people
who are literally sick.