Does every drug user become addicted?

Does substance use inevitably lead to addiction? No. A person will become addicted if and only if there are certain conditions or variables that allow the development of an addiction.

We will talk about addiction when we talk about dependency. This implies that the person relates to a substance from a need. He needs to consume and if there is no substance he becomes distressed, irritated and suffers from withdrawal symptoms. Let's look at this in more detail.

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The relationship between drug use and addictions

Let's imagine a staircase with three steps. Each step is a different color. In the first, green, we have the use of substances. In this case we are talking about simple, non-problematic, sporadic consumption. East it is not difficult in the short or long term and does not present very serious consequences.

The second step, yellow in color, puts us on alert. It is substance abuse that refers to a more complicated use. We can already think of an excess, in a lack of control and setting limits. It can be an occasional but excessive use. The substance abuser, after consumption, will observe some difficulties and unpleasant consequences. From drinking too much alcohol and being a fool to causing an accident.

Finally, in the red, highest step, we place the most problematic consumption, which is addiction or dependence. The object of the addiction becomes a priority in the person's life. The need to consume leads the person to perform acts that they would not otherwise do. He thinks all day about consuming, works to consume, or steals to consume; in short, the addict lives to consume. The consequences are serious, on a personal level (physically and psychologically), work, family, social or legal. Initiating treatment in this instance is essential.

As we mentioned at the beginning, not all those who make a simple use of a substance will go to worse scalesIn other words, not every consumer will be addicted.

If the user of substances goes up a notch, he will transform the simple use of it into something that is around the excess and the risky. And if you go up one more step, you will find yourself trapped in yourself, in your need to consume no matter what.

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The staircase... unidirectional?

A person can stay in the first step without having problems related to consumption. Or go up to the second step and stay there, occasionally having problems of excesses and lack of control, or you can also keep moving forward and reach the top. This is the path of addiction, gradually ascending, so that consumption is necessarily increasing. That is the path of ascent.

Regarding the decline, in the recovery of an addiction there are different theories and models. On the one hand we have the risk and harm reduction model, which will help a person who has decided to consume to do so in the most responsible and careful way possible, without seeking abstinence as a goal.

From this model it can be thought that a person who reached the level of addiction may descend to the step of abuse and try to moderate it, and you can even reach the first step, maintaining a simple and responsible use of substances.

On the other hand, the abstentionist models they maintain that those who have reached the level of addiction and decide to recover cannot use again, not even in a moderate way. Doing so could mean losing control again and starting down the road to addiction again. Therefore, following the ladder idea, an addict could not go down to the second or first step. You should not directly approach or flirt with consumption.

Conclution

So, abstinence yes or no? As each case is unique, the recovery strategy will vary depending on the characteristics of the people and the type of link they have established with the substances. Therefore, there is no single method or model that is valid for all cases of people with problematic substance use. That is why the direction of the staircase will be defined by each person.