Alcohol is a drug - Drug Addiction Counsellor

Stephen Sanke, a drug addiction professional counsellor, at the House of St. Francis Rehab Center in Ashiaman, giving education on drug and its addiction on SVTV Africa, has said, alcohol is also a drug.

According to him, a drug is anything that takes one from a mood of discomfort to comfort.

Hence, if someone is sad and takes alcohol, which eventually swings his mood to a happy one, that person can be said to have taken a drug.

Speaking on the addiction side of drug, he said;

"Addiction is when the drug which is giving you comfort, is now causing problems, however you are unable to stop."

He added that, addiction is not a one day job, it passes through many stages before it could be referred to as one.

"First, we have the experimental stage; that is the first time one takes a particular drug, be it alcohol, weed, cocaine or heroin.

This stage, is mainly caused by peer pressure; or sometimes, for the sake of an accidental pain, a doctor will prescribe that a victim should take a particular drug.

Now, after taking the particular drug for the first day, and now knowing how it feels taking it, you move to the recreational stage.

At this stage, users having realized the comfort they get from the particular drug, will continue to take it for joy, and other social purposes" He narrated.

According to him, the recreational stage, has long and shorter periods, depending on the particular drug intake.

"For example, one can take alcohol for a longer period but still will not be addicted because, it has a longer recreational period.

On the other side, drugs like marijuana heroin and others, has a shorter recreational period so when you take them, you quickly switch or add another and this becomes more dangerous" He said.

Adding that, the abuse stage, is when one is so hooked to the drug and now finds it difficult to attend to their daily routine.

At this stage, users forgo their daily actvities; this can be their work, gym exercise.

They will now invest their time and money into drug to feed their lust.

He believes this stage requires strict discipline; to be able to stop.

Nonetheless, the final category which is the addiction stage; as suggests by name, is the point where a user can't stop by himself except through proper programmed system.

Here, addicts can sell their precious properties just to use the returns for drug purpose; feeding their lust.

Mostly, people at this stage, are sent to the rehab for treatment.

"People often describe the last two stages interchangeably, but they are two different things even though they similar.

Again, users in the first three stages, can stop by themselves except the last". He emphasized.