We use drugs and other substances regularly, whether it is prescribed by a doctor, or it is for entertainment such as a casual friendly drink. We also tend to have many misconceptions about drugs and alcohol, such as many of us think prescription drugs can’t be addictive because it is prescribed by doctors, or natural drugs or supplements cannot harm us because they do not have chemicals in them. However, all substance that we put into our body has an effect on us, and the amount of harm depends on the amount of drug use or abuse.
Top 6 common myths about drugs and alcohol
Myth #1 Alcohol is not a real drug and safer than other street drugs
The truth is, alcohol is a really addictive dangerous drug that can cause serious damage to our brain and nervous system if abused for a long period of time. It causes serious mental and physical dependencies and withdrawal from alcohol addiction is often painful and causes serious mental illnesses and depression. Even a few beers can impair our judgment and coordination.
Myth #2 If your doctor prescribed it, it must be safe
This is a very common and popular misconception we have. Most prescription drugs or over-the-counter drugs are safe if taken by the recommended dosage. If we take in excessive amounts, we may get addicted or cause bodily damage by it, and yes if taken for a long period of time, it could become addictive, and physical or mental dependency may grow on it.
Myth # 3 If the drug or supplement is natural, it must be safe right?
Wrong. Many natural drugs have been found responsible to alter our brain, causing impaired judgments, brain damage, or other serious damages both physically and mentally. Drugs such as magic mushrooms, or marijuana are examples of such natural drugs that may alter our brain’s natural abilities.
Myth #4 Abusing drugs or alcohol would not affect anyone else but me
Wrong again. Everything you do will affect someone else if you are living in a community. think of this, if you are drunk and suddenly need to drive and go out, the chances are you will hurt yourself and someone else too, because you are not only loaded but also a loaded gun behind the wheels.
Myth #5 Sleeping or vomiting will bring you back to normal
When someone passes out or vomits from drinking too much alcohol, he or she needs to be watched carefully. Our body tries to get rid of excessive toxic chemicals from our stomach through vomiting, but alcohol still stays in our system. We can still be under the influence after we vomit or after we wake up in the morning with a hangover.
Myth # 6 Cold showers and hot coffee will get us sober
Not true at all. Cold showers and coffee will do nothing to get rid of the blood alcohol levels. It might help you so stay alert by increasing the amount of caffeine in your blood. You need to allow enough time for drugs and alcohol to be taken out of your system through your circulatory and blood purification system.
More teens are killed by alcohol or drugs than guns. Guns don’t kill as many teens as they are killed by alcohol and drug-related accidents and casualties. Alcohol kills 6.5 times more teens than all other causes of death combined. We ought to recognize the symptoms early and help our youth to lead a safer life without addiction so that they can fully bloom into valuable human beings for our society.
