Each of us is surrounded by drugs. You have already made decisions about what you choose to put into your body. Already in your life, you have faced choices about illegal drugs, prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, and illicit drug use. “Drugs” means more than what is illegal. “Drugs” has to do with the various substances that you choose to put into your body or not put into your body. “Drugs” is also something that is known by several descriptive labels – in addition to “drugs”, we often hear the terms “substance” and “chemicals.” Whatever it is called, these items act upon and interact with our bodies in a variety of ways.
You may have had some experiences – alone, with family members, friends, or others – where unanticipated side effects were experienced. It may have been due to not following directions (e.g., not following the instruction to use the drug with a meal) or it may be due to your body’s unique reaction to the substance. Various drugs with different chemical compositions exist to have the desired effects on people; thus, if a drug has a side effect that you do not like or are unsure about, it’s important to check with a physician to see if another drug would have the desired effect without the undesirable effect(s).
As you think about drug use, it’s important to reflect on the fact that, while your body is quite robust and resilient, it is also a delicate and complicated system that has reactions to what is put into it. Specifically, the body does not know what you are putting into it (i.e., whether it is legal or illegal, prescribed or not) or why you are using it (e.g., for medicinal purposes or for recreational purposes); your body just reacts in accordance with the properties of the drug. Some individuals have food allergies, and others have negative reactions to drugs like penicillin. Individuals do respond differently to drugs, so just because a friend has a certain reaction (whether safe or unsafe) doesn’t mean that you will have the same reaction.
It is very important to look at the reasons underlying your choices about drugs. What is it that you are trying to address with your decisions about drugs? If you’re trying to treat a medical condition, does it need a doctor’s guidance or recommendation? If you’ve been using an over-the-counter drug for a while to treat something, what is the underlying cause of that situation? If you’re faced with a decision about using an illicit drug for recreational purposes, what is it that you are attempting to accomplish and, more important, can that be met in ways that are safer and legal?
Getting good and current information is vitally important. It is important that knowledge about drugs is obtained from reliable sources, rather than from friends or acquaintances, or just from an article on the web. If you hear something that you wonder about, check with your physician, check with a knowledgeable expert, and check with reputable sources. There may be only partial information available, there may be new insights, and there may be different points of view. It’s important to know that much of the knowledge about drugs is changing, particularly as new discoveries and insights are made. Sadly, many people don’t want to be bothered with the facts. You have the opportunity and challenge to do otherwise – being informed, gathering this from quality sources, and sharing this new knowledge with others.