What's the use of getting high? Because it makes you feel good. That's why it's so easy for people to get hooked. It's human nature to want to feel happy. Look at the adverts for holiday resorts, or day spas, or even fantasy novels. They all base their marketing on providing an escape from everyday cares and woes, because that is what people crave.

The trouble with drugs is that they offer that escape at a terrible price.

Unfortunately, young and immature people are not very good at thinking about consequences. Also, the older generation seems reluctant to admit that taking drugs can feel good - we are so busy emphasising the considerable dangers. So when a young person tries a drug and it feels great, they think we must be lying about the whole thing.

Recently I've seen some interviews with celebrities who were previously addicted to drugs and alcohol, and I found it refreshing that they admitted to enjoying aspects of their addiction at the time - because they also made the point that although it felt good, they eventually recognised that enjoyment was at the expense of other, potentially more fulfilling aspects of their life. So they finally made the decision to go into rehab, kick their habit and rejoin the human race. To my mind, that is a much more honest approach than the "everything is bad" approach.

Learn more about this author, Marisa Wright.
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