Understanding why you take drugs

It may feel like the only reason you take opiates is to stop yourself withdrawing, but it isn’t usually that simple. Understanding your drug use may help you control it.

It may be that the reasons you started using opiates are different from the reasons why you are taking them now. Try listing the reasons why you take opiates under these two headings:

'Reasons I started' and 'Reasons I do it now'

Look at your lists and see which:

• are as a result of your drug use;
• will still be around when you come off;
• you can do something about;
• you can’t do anything about;
• are your responsibility; and
• aren’t your responsibility.

This exercise isn’t something you do to make yourself feel guilty, or to find people to blame. It is something you can do to understand your situation, so that you can start sorting things out.

We may not be responsible for many of the things that have happened to us, but we can choose how much, if at all, drugs are part of our response to them.

Related topics