Why People Turn to Drugs and Alcohol—And What's Really Going On Underneath

Substance use isn't a moral failing—it's often a misguided attempt at self-medication for very real emotional pain. When someone drinks to "unwind" after a brutal day or uses substances to quiet social anxiety, they're using these as coping strategies to manage stress, trauma, and discomfort that feels overwhelming.

How Do Substances Create a Mental "Shortcut"?

Substances hijack the brain's reward system, artificially creating feelings of calm, euphoria, numbness, and confidence that people struggle to generate naturally. At first, it works as a quick fix—the substance removes anxiety, sadness, or painful memories, which reinforces the behavior through what experts call "the rewarding removal of an unpleasant state."

While this immediate relief feels like a solution, it becomes the go-to response that overshadows the development of healthier coping skills. The underlying issues don't disappear—they actually worsen over time, creating cycles of dependence and relapse.

What Pain Are People Really Trying to Escape?

Research reveals several common root causes that substance use attempts to cover up. The substance becomes a flawed answer to legitimate human hurt that needs proper attention and care.

• Chronic Stress: Ongoing work pressure, financial strain, or relationship conflicts that feel unmanageable without chemical relief
• Trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences: Unresolved abuse, neglect, or witnessing violence, with studies showing more adversities correlate with higher addiction risk
• Unresolved Loss: Grief from death, divorce, or major life changes that hasn't been properly processed
• Interpersonal Conflicts: Relationship problems or social isolation that create persistent emotional distress

The self-medication perspective helps explain why simply removing the substance often isn't enough—the underlying pain that drove someone to use in the first place still needs to be addressed through proper treatment and support.

Why Is Support So Critical for Recovery?

Recovery from addiction requires more than just stopping substance use—it needs a complete support system to address the isolation that often fuels addictive behavior. As addiction expert Michael C. Clemmens explains, "Addicts live much of their lives in isolation and tend to bear their experiences either by toughing it out or by having someone else take over. Support is a middle mode where the environment and others are an interested but differentiated part of the field."

Support groups provide something crucial: commonality among members who share similar feelings, worries, and treatment experiences. This relatability allows people in recovery to feel they're among equals, fostering belongingness and inclusion rather than judgment. Research suggests that abstinent social networks are one of the most important predictors of successful substance abuse recovery following treatment.

The most effective support comes from understanding that recovery is still fundamentally the individual's responsibility, but they don't have to face it alone. Good support means creating a safe space where people can open up about their struggles while maintaining confidentiality and trust. This social support directly counteracts the shame, isolation, and secrecy that may have contributed to the addiction initially.