Drug Free Living

Drug free living is a choice many people have made and will continue to make. Whether in grade school, middle school, high school, college or beyond being free of drugs is a healthy choice for one's lifestyle. But, it's not that easy.

How can one remain substance free when they are surrounded by peer pressure, societal apathy, societal promotion, easy access, curiosity, human pain and suffering and a whole host of other reasons? If some famous addicts can't kick drug and alcohol addictions just by going to rehab how can anyone else?

Let's take the idea of remaining drug free among the throws of peer pressure first. Students at school, adults at work, and both among their own social groups are introduced to peer pressure every day. Many are not even aware of this pressure which can be very subtle and live below one's radar level. But, it's there.

In order to remain free of drugs many people will need to change peer groups, schools, jobs, distance themselves from some loved ones who are enablers and take other drastic measures to stay sober. It won't be easy, but it may be necessary to save one's own life.

In schools, the Partnership for a Drug Free America disseminates information on what is truly happening with today's youth. The trends for meth, crack, pot, abuse of prescription drugs and alcohol are discussed. A program called Too Good for Drugs developed by the Mendez Foundation is also helping today's youth live a substance free lifestyle.

Societal apathy gets in the way of people deciding to be free from drugs. College drinking is looked at as a right of passage among many adults, the media and pop culture. Smoking pot is being legalized in some places and so abuse isn't taken as seriously. Parental discomfort or negligence gets in the way of talking openly with their teens about maintaining a sober existence.

Look at me, I'm drug free

Societal promotion of addictive substances also plays a role. Movies with characters using and abusing drugs, some magazines going for the heroin junky look with their photographs and celebrity role models using without consequences all count as promoting addiction.

Easy access also inhibits sober living. When prescription painkillers and other pharmaceuticals are in the house, this may be too tempting for some curious family members or friends who visit. Drug dealers who are friends of friends and rogue pseudo-chemists in mobile meth labs evading police mean addictive substances are only a phone call or text message away.

Plain old curiosity is what leads some people away from a sober existence. In the 1960's experimentation was rampant. Even now at raves, parties, and other social events substance free people may be the standouts in the crowd and exception to the social mores that are going on.

Finally, human pain and suffering plays a dominant role in straying from a sober pathway. Early childhood traumas such as physical, sexual, emotional and psychological abuse are heavy predictors of later issues with addition. Also, physical injuries that require painkillers for a limited time can lead to an extension of this time and finally to an ongoing problem.

Later onset issues such as depression and anxiety will mean that some people will self-medicate rather than being resolved to live free from drugs. Some elderly people will experience much consecutive pain as their bodies are in decline and resort to drugs and alcohol for comfort. And, then there is managing grief which affects both young and old who have a hard time dealing with a loss.

But, on a positive note, deciding to be drug free is a choice. Making the decision to live a sober lifestyle with a certain resolve gives many people the feeling of empowerment. Some people will be helped by their religious beliefs in order to remain free from alcohol and drugs. Others may choose a healthy role model to emulate (though this can be trouble as well). And still others may go to rehab to receive the life tools needed to attain a sober journey.

But, no matter what, many people will resolve to make the choice of freedom one day at a time, as they say, and reaffirm this conviction on a continual basis.