Illusive magic of intoxicants

Amalshan Gunerathne

A minute’s satisfaction!

As I was once going through a rough period, feeling low, dull, bored and aimlessly going through motions without feeling any contentment from my routine life, a friend suggested this outrageous idea. “You should try weed. Get high, try alcohol, go to a club, get wasted and have fun, live your life a little. It kills the stress and relaxes you. It is not bad, as long as you do not get addicted to it,” he suggested.

The suggestion freaked me out to an extent that I almost did exactly that. The feeling of being ‘high’, they call it. That euphoric moment of feeling high-it kills away the pain, refreshes you and feeds you with adventure and fun, they say. Such is the way that drug-users exaggerate the feeling of being ‘high’ that non-users feel inclined to try the so called magical substance.

Often, it is this thirst for adventure, thrill, excitement and the tenacity to experiment with new things that drive youth in to drug use. Often it is influenced by how their mates describe the feeling of being ‘high’. And to experience that same level of orgiastic excitement, they try it.

With this regard, a burning question that I always wanted to find out was that, do intoxicant drugs really have the capacity to arouse such euphoric feelings? Do chemicals in those intoxicants have the magical touch to feed you with such exhilarating feelings that can take away all your worries and put you in a safe-haven?

As it happens, they don’t. The chemicals in alcohol and drugs do not have the capacity to arouse such euphoric feelings. Most of it depends on how you interpret the effect. If you take the substance with the firm pre-conceived belief that it would take you to a seventh heaven, it probably would. It is same as little kids believing in ‘Santa Claus.’ If you truly believe in a certain fantasy, it would ultimately become realistic enough for you to actually start living in that dream world.

According to research, often it is not the physical or chemical effect that makes people feel ‘high,’ but rather it is the deceptive, preconceived social idea of being ‘high’ that make the users fantasize such euphoric feelings.

If not for such illusive, preconceived notions, the users will not find any satisfaction from using the substance and may only end up feeling drowsed and drugged. To put it simply, getting ‘high’ is not a chemical effect of certain chemical substance, but a socially learned interpretation of the pharmacological effect.

As noted by Andrew Weil, researcher on intoxicants, “No substance automatically makes people feel high. The individual must learn to interpret the physical effects of the drugs as occasions for being high. The expectancies of individuals and societies make people associate internal experiences with physical sensation produced by the drugs. If this association does not occur, or if it comes to an end people may take the highest doses of drugs without getting high. They only feel drugged.”

The users also attribute that intoxicant substances have the capacity to arouse certain positive behavioral patterns in them. They justify the drug-use saying that intoxicants can induce feeling of well-being, a good mode and could even act as an anxiety reliever. As absurd as it may sound, the myths that are associated with intoxicant drugs are such that there were instances where artists and writers have claimed that intoxicants play a major role at stimulating them with creative inspirations. “Even Keats took ‘weed’ and some of his best poetry came when he was under the influence of weed, so there is no harm in us trying it,” they say.

Joining with Punch, Executive Director of Alcohol and Drug Information Center (ADIC) Sri Lanka, Pubudu Sumanasekara noted, “It is important that we deconstruct these preconceived social myths which encourage people in to using drugs. It is those false notions that draw people towards drug-use.”

Speaking further on why people get in to drug-use, he added, “It depends on the individual and the social group that he hangs around with. Often we find people without any social responsibility or people who do not have any specific purpose in life getting in to drug use. Then there are radical and rebellious ones who consider it fashionable to consume drugs. The best thing is to prevent users from trying out drugs, because once you are in to it, the complete rehabilitation is almost impossible.”

Drug-circulation-the current situation

According to Sumanasekara, drug use and circulation in Sri Lanka in past few years have not escalated to an alarming level. According sources, in 2010, the total number of drug related arrests in Sri Lanka was 29 796, 60% of them being aged thirty or above and 39% of them being in their twenties. Of the drug related arrests, 32% was for heroin and 68% was for cannabis. Majority of drug related arrests were reported from Western Province.

Police Media Spokesperson Ajith Rohana also confirms that drug circulation in Sri Lanka has come down in last few years and is not as a bigger threat as it used to be. “When compared to the rest of the world, we have been able to keep a tight leash on the situation. Drug abuse and trafficking is a major problem in modern world. But thankfully, we have not allowed the problem to flourish. Youth no longer have easy access to drugs. We need the support of community, pharmaceutical dealers to completely eradicate the threat,” Media Spokesperson noted.