The Effect of Drug Abuse on Many Writers

The creative outlook of the greatest minds in human civilization was known to have been under the influence of psychoactive substances. Ancient philosophers all the way up to the Enlightenment thinkers were known to have been under some sort of psychoactive like tobacco. Naturally, drugs have been used to enhance and unlock creativity for many writers and artists in the industry. Whether they use alcohol to numb the noise of the world or DMT for inspiration , drug usage should not be a main source to deal with creativity or stress because it can lead to a negative impact on health.

In addition , many successful writers that have pumped out masterpieces at fast speeds have been known to have been under the influence of some sort of psychoactive substance. Stephen King , a successful writer and master in the horror genre created many masterpieces year after year under the influence of Alcohol and cocaine. Luckily enough for him, his family was able to help him break out of his bad habits and regain control of his life . Many writers don’t get this same opportunity and usually die of overdosing or end up collapsing from their success .

Subsequently , drug abuse can be a source of motivation for an artist yet it can always be the weakness of his/her career and most possibly their downfall as a successful figure in the industry . Being aware of this we also have to understand the stress writers deal with on a everyday basis . In a industry that is highly competitive , it is crucial for writers to constantly be working to make a living . “ I have written because it fulfilled me . Maybe it paid off the mortgage on the house and got the kids through college , but those things were on the side- I did it for the buzz.” [Stephen King ,On Writing pg.249] it is important to remember that writing for the joy of it should be the main reason authors create . Without this ideal many become subject to the overwhelming stress of writing for money , writing for pure fame and indulgence , this is one of the main reasons writers become victims to drugs .

In one of my sources titled “ Substance abuse and Mental health Issues .” It is stated that “ People often abuse alcohol or drugs to ease the symptoms of an undiagnosed mental disorder , to cope with difficult emotions , or to temporarily change their mood .” In order to interpret the effect of drug abuse on writers, it is key to unravel why writers continuously choose to use drugs as a convenient source.

For instance , writers can feel overwhelmed , stressed out , and without confidence . In another article titled “Smart Drugs for writers” It is explained that “If you aren’t creating (not only value but innovation and novelty) you’re easily replaceable .” In order for writers to deal with these stresses , many succumb to psychoactive substances that indirectly act by loosening consciousness and enhancing sensitivities . These properties might also motivate the incentive of its creative usage. Some examples of commonly used drugs include ; Modafinil -Which boosts the cognitive ability and kills the dreaded “writer's block” to let the writer see through a clear lense to be able to write his/her book in a confident manner . The most common one is called Marijuana - this drug gives the substance users a “body high” which automatically creates a clear creative visualization and full body relaxation .

Correspondingly In another of my articles “Drug use negatively impacts health, productivity , and crime” states that “Although many studies suggest that the impact of illicit drug use on a society’s productivity -in purely monetary terms - may be far more significant than the health impact .”Although the usage of psychoactive substances may help many writers for creative purposes , the health impact it raises among the users is unmatchable . “Some 0.2 million people die from drug use every year.” This report raises awareness at how many substance users die related to illicit drug use every single year . We can tie this back to the idea that psychoactive substances should not be used as a regular gateway for writers to release their stress and pump out incredible amounts of work every year .

Additionally, as well as healthy illicit drugs also impact productivity . “ [ A US study estimates] a potential productivity loss of slightly more than $1 million for each drug-related death.” [ Drug use negatively impacts health , productivity , and crime .] this states that there is a major loss represented by work that was not completed under the influence of psychoactive substances. Productivity losses can count as a loss of potential income and reduction of their expected earning in a labor market .

Furthermore after understanding the consequences of the usage of illicit drugs , it is also important to recognize what the government is doing about this problem . “Determining whether certain drugs are harmful-whether through immediate effects to the user and others , or by a gateway effect leading to the use of other drugs that are harmful - is one of the key steps in deciding what sort of policies society ought to take towards drug use .” [ Preface to ‘what should society do about gateway drugs] this declares that it is important for the government to recognize which drugs pose the greatest danger to the people in order to prevent it from reaching the hands of the citizens . Even though the government can prohibit the use of certain drugs they will remain a problem and sometimes get worse. Moreover , the conclusions drawn from the prohibition act in 1919 which banned the use of alcohol led many people to believe that sometimes outlawing a substance can make the problem even worse.

Lastly , from analyzing the effects of Drug abuse on writers , I can say that although there are some good effects for creative writers to use psychoactive substances , the long term effect can be deadly . These illicit drugs are meant to help writers escape for a certain period of time without losing focus on their work while advancing on their career . Some of these writers succeed while under the influence and carry on with their career as successful authors , yet the card always has a backside, and the negative impact that psychoactive substances have on its users will prevail.