There are lots of issues to address in this question, but
I will start with the easiest part to answer. It seems you
want somebody to tell you it is "OK" for you to try
drugs, and I can't and won't do that. I will say that it is
an unfortunate fact of the teen years that drug and/or
alcohol experimentation is the norm,
not the exception. For most teens
experimenting with drugs or alcohol is just that - an
experiment. Teens try drugs or alcohol, they measure the
various reactions they get, and they come to a conclusion
based on those reactions. Despite some pretty scary
statistics, the vast majority of teens who try drugs or
alcohol end up as well adjusted contributing members of adult
society. Even teens who are habitual users, even abusers of
drugs, can come through it all without becoming addicted. No
one really knows why some people become addicted while others
who use just as many drugs don't, and there is no "test"
to take to see if you are one of the unlucky ones who, once
you try drugs, will find it next to impossible to stop. It is
all a matter of personality, circumstance and genetics.
There are 5 commonly referred to "levels"
or categories of drug
and alcohol
use.
- Non Users
- Occasional or Social Users
- Habitual Users
- Abusers
- Addicts
Most teens who try drugs or alcohol fall in to categories
2 or 3. Social Users; use on some weekends or at the
occasional party but rarely to never try drugs outside of
social situations. Habitual Users; are similar to
Social Users but use more regularly in social settings (ie:
every party or rave) and may use at other times - they rarely
to never use alone. Abusers are heavy drug users who
often use alone or outside of social settings. On the
outside, they appear to be very much like an addict. What
separates Abusers from Addicts is the degree to which
using invades their life, their physical "need" for
the drug, and their ability to stop on demand. In short,
Abusers do not experience the same degree of drug
dependency as Addicts. This does not mean that a drug
Abuser is "better" than an Addict or that it is
"OK" to abuse drugs, it just means that the Abuser
does not depend on the drugs the same way an Addict does.
While Addicts find it next to impossible to quit, Abusers may
stop suddenly and never look back. The habit does not
normally take over their life, nor does it "define"
who they are. They do not feel a "need" to use.
Unfortunately, the line between Abuser and Addict
is a fine one and it is hard to know for sure which category
a person falls under until it is already too late. In fact,
Abusers and Addicts themselves often don't know which
category they fall under until they try
to quit and can't. It is quite literally a roll of the
"life dice".
That said, given your stated family history of alcoholism,
I would strongly caution you against any type of drug or
alcohol use. Although experimentation is normal among teens,
you have a family legacy nipping at your heels. There is very
strong evidence that a propensity toward addiction is in the
genes. The fact that your father's addiction was to alcohol
and you are curious about drugs notwithstanding, you still
may have a genetic pre-disposition to dependency
and addiction. Whether that addiction shows up as
alcoholism or drug use is irrelevant since the cycle of
addiction is about just that - addiction. The cycle of
addiction is well established, and be it through drugs or
alcohol, you are already a part of that cycle. The best way
for you to break the cycle is to avoid anything that may jump
start it in you. I think, subconsciously, you already know all
this since you mentioned Alateen
and your father's illness - this shows great wisdom and
maturity and you should be very proud of yourself.
There is no guarantee against addiction and there are
people who have become addicted after doing a drug only once.
Addiction is as much a physical thing as it is a mental one
and all it takes is a very small taste to get those addictive
cravings going. Also, unlike alcohol, drugs are generally
illegal and often dangerous. You have no way of knowing for
sure that a drug is what a dealer claims, you have no way of
knowing that the drug hasn't been "cut" with poison
and you have no way of ensuring your "trip" will be
a good one. Lots of teens have allergic or other reactions to
drugs that leave them permanently disabled - something that
is just as life altering as addiction. Drugs also render you
incapable of making important decisions like; when you have
had enough, whether to drive a car or not, whether to have
sex or not, and how to properly react to what others say and
do. Drug use can cause one to be sexually uninhibited,
resulting in STDs, HPV, pregnancy, rape, or even AIDS.
Depending on the type of drug and the way it is delivered,
even a one time user can fall victim to; hepatitis, HIV, and
AIDS. When on drugs you are more likely to be involved in
fatal accidents or to act recklessly, causing harm to
yourself and/or others. An overwhelming number of violent and
criminal incidents involving teens include drugs and or
alcohol use.
While drug experimentation during the teen years is
normal, this does not make it "OK" in the sense you
want to hear. As with any other thing you do as a teen, doing drugs
can and will change you forever. Even if it is "just one
time", a part of you will never be the same. Even if
your experiment goes "smoothly", a piece of your
innocence will die. You have to ask yourself if you are
really ready to say "good bye" to your drug free
self forever. Try to remember that while your friends may appear
to be having a drug induced "blast" at the rave you
can't see the bigger picture. I am willing to bet that they
do more than a few things they regret while on drugs, that
they miss a few opportunities to make new friends, and that
they feel anything but great the next day. There is a reason
drug users stick together and it is simple - drugs tend to
close people off to others despite a reputation of "opening
people up". Everything in life has a price and drugs are
no exception. However, for most people, the price of drug use
is higher than they ever imagined. My best advice - STAY AWAY!!!
