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Patterns of drug use

Young people use drugs in lots of different ways. The following list describes the most common ones:

Remember: Patterns of drug use are not pathways – people don’t always go from one type of use to the next on the list. One person can have different patterns depending on the drug. They might use alcohol on the weekend with certain friends (situationally) and use cannabis every day (dependent).

Category
Understanding Youth Drug and Alcohol Use  
Date
27.10.2023
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Experimental

Lots of young people experiment with alcohol and/or other drugs at some stage during their teenage years. Someone might try a drug because they are curious or friends are using it, or just because it is there

Recreational

A high number of young people will continue from experimenting to using drugs recreationally. This is usually using substances socially, for example drinking at a party or taking pills at a festival.

Situational

This is where drugs are used in specific situations. An example is using amphetamines to stay awake during exam preparation, or drinking heavily to get through an emotional time of the year.

Intensive

This is where drugs are used often (regularly) and heavily. This type of use may result in negative impacts on different parts of life.

Dependant

This is where someone doesn’t feel like they have a real choice in using. If they have been using regularly, they start to feel worse if they don’t use. Many young people describe this as feeling like they are not in control of the use, the drug is in control of them.