Social media doesn’t just offer a way for people to connect with friends and family, discuss current events and enjoy entertainment — it also offers an opportunity for people to get the latest news about drugs. This article will explore the ways in which social media has changed drug culture and drug use. It is important for people to understand the positive and negative effects social media has on the communication and distribution of drugs, whether it is informational use, peer influence, or how dealers advertise their products.
Effects of Social Media on Drug Use
Informational. Some of the most well-known ways that social media affects drug use is in its informative sense. Many people on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, or even Snapchat (most especially Snapchat) post about the drugs or drug culture they are involved in. They may post photos or videos of their personal use, positive experiences with their drug of choice, post memes about drugs, or even share articles about drug trends. These articles may not necessarily be factual, but often people still find them very enticing to view and may take them as true. Peer influence. Social media allows people to connect and communicate with their peers. Through these connections, people can feel the peer pressure associated with drug use. Many teens who are addicted to drugs find it hard to accept that their friends may be doing something that is bad for them and thus continue to post on social media sites about the fact that they are using drugs.
Drug dealer advertisements. Drug dealers can use social media to advertise their drugs for sale. They can post pictures or videos of their product, which may be unsmoked or even untouched by human hands. In many cases, this is done in an effort to lure people in and get them to buy the drugs without realizing how strong they are.
Drug use prevention. Drug prevention messages have become very popular on social media. There are many accounts that are used to spread such messages, but what has become very effective is the way in which people can post about their experience with drugs. Using social media allows people to quickly share experiences with a drug and then immediately talk about how they want to change or know more about the drug being discussed.
Drug use statistics. Because people often post about the drug culture or their personal experiences on social media, it can be very helpful for people to see the statistics and information about a certain substance. There are many sites that have been set up to post and share information about a drug. These websites can offer factual information and statistics, which is important as these numbers can help show how drugs affect people on a regular basis.
Abstinence. Many people who are addicted to a drug will continue to post on social media sites, which is an effort to try and increase the chance that their addiction will be prevented from continuing. This is because many of the people posting about their own personal experiences with drugs have been able to stop or at least cut down on their drug use in some way. This is because they share their personal experiences with others and show them that drug use is not the answer to happiness or life problems.
Emotional support. It is easy for people addicted to drugs to feel alone and alienated from society because, in many cases, they have tried to stop using drugs but are not yet successful. By posting about their drug use and their recovery on social media sites, it helps them connect with more people who can offer support. They may offer advice or even tell a story about how they were able to get off drugs and stay off them. Another effect of social media is that it can give addicts a sense of pride in their drug use. Many addicts often post images and videos of themselves using drugs on social media sites, as they see this as a successful way to show that they are still addicted. In reality, many of these posts are not shared with their friends or family, but they may feel proud in a place where they believe that no one knows their secret drug use.
This may make them even more willing to continue posting about their drug use because they feel like they have something hidden. Overall, social media has changed many aspects of drug culture and drug use. Whether it is a way for people to connect and share their experiences with drugs or fact that it can be used to advertise new drugs that are readily available, social media has made the entire drug-use process more accessible for many people. However, this does not mean that teens should turn off their computers and cell phones simply because they think they will be harmed by social media use. If you want to get help on how to deal with drug abuse, call us today 833-497-3812.