Drinking and drugging are included in many memorable movie scenes. Whether it’s a group of guys drinking around a poker table, or a cocaine addict laying out his lines of coke, or the heroin addicts of Pulp Fiction, Hollywood continues to see the use of drugs as cool or as something needed to be brave.
Furthermore, society readily accepts drinking. That’s what you do after a long week at the office. And it’s natural to want to go out with friends, go to the bar or club, and enjoy yourself.
In fact, in large cities, there are whole communities that romanticize having a drink in your hand. It’s a part of being cool – you work hard and play hard. It’s part of their very lifestyle. It’s part of being accepted by friends.
But if you were in this kind of community, pulling away might have been a challenge. Research has shown that the glamour of drinking and drug use is actually one of the obstacles to getting into drug treatment.
Even when individuals are in treatment, it can be the trigger for relapse. Those who are still identified with the glamour of drinking can more frequently relapse. If someone simply doesn’t seem themselves as living without drugs or alcohol, drug and alcohol treatment is likely not going to be effective. This is particularly true for adolescents and young adults.
