Three Reasons Why People Drink and Drug: Part 1

Three Reasons Why People Drink and Drug: Part I.

There are millions of reasons why people do what they do.  However, most of the reasons why people drink and take drugs can be traced back to one of these three general reasons.

                                1.  People Pleasing:  Trying to fit in and gain the acceptance of others.

                                2.  Reality Releasing:  Trying to escape the pressure and reality of life.

                                3.  Hurt Halting:  Trying to stop the pain in our life and heart.

Many people a life of addiction started with simply having a need to be loved and accepted.  This need was exposed when someone invited them to participate in a social event where a substance or alcohol was introduced to them.  Their need of friendship, acceptance, and love led them to do something they perhaps did not want to do or even something they knew was wrong.  The psychological basis for temptation is legitimate needs.  These needs seem to be met by the drug or drink.  Many people believe taking drugs or drinking helps them socially.  They believe it enables them to thrive with their peers, to be accepted by them.    

The question we need to ask ourselves is why?  Why do we proceed in doing something our own bodies and natural taste rejected?  Why do we do something that our own parents may have taught us was wrong?  Why do we do something that we know may have dire consequences? Why do we feel this overwhelming need to be love and accepted by our peers?  Why do we believe it is necessary to drink or drug to fit in?  Why do we believe the only way to have fun is to participate in drinking or drugging? Perhaps the question that should be asked is:  Where do we turn to have our needs met?  I believe the answer is found not in the world, our flesh, or the devil, but in our relationship to Jesus Christ.

This is what Jesus promised in Scripture.  He promised to meet our need.  Philippians 4:19 (KJV) 19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Please notice the promise of God, my God shall supply all your need.  Would this include psychological needs such as love and acceptance?  Yes! The Word of God provides the answer to the need of love and acceptance and that provision is Jesus Christ.   
Colossians 1:19-23 (KJV) ¹⁹ For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; ²⁰ And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. ²¹ And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled ²² In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: ²³ If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

Notice in the above passage that we were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works.  Our sins separated us from the love of God.  Isaiah 59:2 (KJV) ² But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.  It is this void or emptiness in our lives that we seek to fill.  This need is internal.  It is in our hearts.  It cannot be filled externally.  All of the love and acceptance of friends in the world cannot fill this void.  The only way this void and emptiness can be filled is through Jesus Christ.  Know Jesus, know love and acceptance; no Jesus, no love and acceptance!  Please note in Colossians that it is Jesus blood, His death that can reconcile (fully restore) our relationship to our God.  Once our relationship to God is restored internally we are whole, complete.  The love of God fills our hearts.  Romans 5:5 (KJV) 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. Not only does God fill and overflow the heart of the Christian, but He also promises that nothing can separate us from His love.  Romans 8:37-39 (KJV) ³⁷ Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. ³⁸ For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, ³⁹ Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The question you must answer is: Are you going to allow Jesus Christ to meet these needs or are you going to succumb to the temptation to turn to the world, the flesh, and the devil to meet your need?