Since ancient times, people have found ways to alter their perception and level of consciousness.
Starting with psychoactive herbs and finishing with stimulants, drugs are nothing new in society. However, there have always been those who abused them and became psychologically and physically dependent on those substances.
There are plenty of sociological and psychological aspects of why drug abuse and addiction have developed. And although today’s addiction treatment is as explore more here, it wasn’t always this way.
Have you ever wondered how it even happened that people discovered drugs or how did the substances develop through the centuries? If yes, let us give you a history lesson about humans and drug abuse.
Opioids in China and Mesopotamia
Opioids have been used by humankind since approximately 3,900 BC. Sumerians found that opium is helpful in pain relief and used it for medical purposes. However, soon, they discovered the psychoactive effect of this drug, and smoking opium became a social ritual. They were also the first ones to find that poppy seeds can be used to manufacture addictive substances.
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Later on, the Chinese took this custom after them. Over time, it was discovered that people could make morphine and heroin from poppy seed – both drugs started to be widely used to relieve pain. It was Chinese immigrants that contributed to the worldwide spread of opioids.
Mushrooms and Marijuana in Ancient Greece and Rome
The history of psychoactive plants reaches ancient times. Greeks and Romans were known to cherish life and celebrate social gatherings with vast amounts of alcohol. However, aside from alcohol use, religious and spiritual events were often accompanied by mushrooms and marijuana to evoke hallucinations.
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They were a significant part of the rituals. The effects on people in ancient times were as damaging as they are now, but back then, nobody took into consideration brain-altering negative side effects of the plants.
World trade and cocaine
The development of the trade has significantly contributed to overspreading drug abuse, especially in the second millennium. When America started to develop and build trading links, the conquerors discovered the drugs that locals were using.
One of them was cocaine that soon became a recreational drug causing “great contentment” and considered a cure for all the diseases. Sooner than later, the risk that coke usage carries was discovered.
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Dr. Benjamin Rush
While analysing drug abuse from the historical perspective, it’s a sin not to mention Dr. Benjamin Rush. This figure changed the view we take on addictions to psychoactive drugs and alcohol abuse and their treatment.
Dr. Benjamin Rush, a founder of the first medical school in the United States, was the first to research and explore the impact of alcohol abuse on the human brain and body and shed light on its harmful effects. The society in the 1700s highly concentrated on alcohol consumption created sobriety groups among the tribes. It was the first time in history when addiction was considered a disease, not a matter of human willpower, that later impacted how humankind perceived drug usage.
World War I
World War I was when people started to lose faith in the successful treatment of drug addiction. Morphine, heroin, opium, and cocaine were “prescribed” by military authorities and “self-prescribed” by soldiers to fight PTSD and trauma as well as for medical purposes. The fear of drug abuse was growing. From this moment, the legislation started to be more restrictive to limit access to the substances.
Psychedelic Sixties
Social and political shifts caused by the Vietnam War contributed to the growing abuse of marijuana and psychoactive substances. It was the heyday of illegal drug use, and LSD started to become a popular recreational drug. Again, the fear of widespread drug abuse began to grow.
The government’s fear over lack of control over that phenomenon contributed to intensive drug possession restrictions. The penalties and restrictions were increasing, and the government has started to put much effort into fighting the 60’s drug wave. It lasted to the ’70s when drug abuse has started to be a real national concern.
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The Bottom Line
The history of drug abuse is long and complicated. Drugs overspread around the world and became a significant part of the culture. However, through the years, drug addiction became a problem difficult to overcome. More and more people started to suffer from the adverse effects of drugs and became entirely dependent on them.
Contemporarily, drug treatment is developed. There are plenty of rehabs and places where addicts can get professional help to fight their addiction and have control over their lives again. Drug use can lead to severe mental health issues and be dangerous to human health and life, so don’t be afraid to reach professional help if you detect any addictive behaviours.
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Former Manchester United star Patrice Evra is set to make his MMA debut very soon
Danny Jones
In another somewhat left-field turn of events in the sporting world, ex-Manchester United star Patrice Evra is set to swap his boots for gloves as he prepares to make his MMA debut.
The retired Man United player and French international ended his playing days back in 2019 after a short one-year spell at West Ham, and has mostly worked as a pundit in recent years.
Evra, 43, stunned his millions of followers online and even more football and fight fans alike by announcing he would be trying his hand at combat sports earlier this week.
Hopping on social media to confirm the news, it’s fair to say he’s already relishing the challenge.
The former left-back made 379 appearances for the Red Devils, winning 14 trophies, but this will be his first in the European division of the Professional Fighters League (PFL), the second-biggest promotion in MMA after the UFC.
As far as we know, Evra has little to no background in fighting of any discipline, even if he was used to the more physical side of the game as a defender.
Writing via X on Friday, 25 April, the 2008 Champions League and ’09 Club World Cup winner, said: “I’m officially training for my first fight with PFL Europe. They will pick my opponent… They asked who I wanna face. I said: Luis Suárez.
“I’ll pay out of pocket. He can even bite me.”
Suárez, still playing at 38, was not only found guilty of at least three instances of biting other players but was famously charged with racially abusing Patrice Evra back in 2011, with the two sharing a strong feud ever since.
Now, since the Uruguayan striker is still playing professional football over in the MLS, alongside the one and only Lionel Messi at Inter Miami, we wouldn’t hold our breaths.
Nevertheless, it seems as though he will be fighting someone on 23 May, once an opponent is selected in the coming weeks.
Evra has been training with Cameroonian-French mixed martial artist and friend, Cédric Doumbé, a former kickboxing specialist and now an established fighter in the welterweight class.
Joking aside, although there are a lot of controversial moves that are legal in MMA, biting isn’t one of them – not that it ever stopped the former Liverpool forward in the past.
Speaking in an official press conference, Evra said: “I’ve performed on the world’s biggest stages, won every major trophy in football, but PFL Europe Paris will be an incredibly special night for me.
“I’ve been training alongside the best in the world for years, and they’ll also tell you I’m ready for this. I’m going to put on a show at the Accor Arena on 23 May, so come watch the spectacle.”
As out of the blue as it may seem, he obviously isn’t the only former athlete to have swapped one sport for another after calling time in their first career.
In fact, he’s not even the first United player to change lanes.
Mix-up leaves tourists bound for Peak District on a day trip to… Rochdale
Daisy Jackson
Who needs rolling hills and country pubs when you could have *checks notes* roadworks and charity shops?
Well, that’s the situation two people ended up in recently after a mix-up rerouted their trip to the Peak District to Rochdale, of all places.
Thankfully seeing the funny side, Canadian TikTok creator Mackenzie shared a video of the day trip they got stuck with.
The pair of mates had been planning a trip to the honeypot town of Castleton in the Peak District, but accidentally ended up heading over to Castleton in Rochdale instead.
In the light-hearted clip, she says: “This is just a reminder to read the small print when you want to do a spontaneous trip. Because Margarita and I thought we were going to the Peaks, and this is where we are…” while panning to the sight of some roadworks.
She continued: “We thought we were going to see gorgeous green hills. Nope.
“Anyways, come with us on our Castleton Manchester, not Peak District adventure.”
They visited Springfield Park, went to a pub to eat onion rings (with a random giant dog staring at them), erm… went to a charity shop, and looked at some houses.
Okay so not quite the Peak District paradise they were picturing.
One person commented: “Absolutely howling. Come all the way from America to end up in Rochdale” (Mackenzie stressed in her reply that she lives in Manchester and also, is Canadian).
Another said: “It’s the Springfield park for me”
Someone else suggested: “Rochdale should rename all of its areas to encourage more tourists. Hahah”
Dying to know if these girls ever made it to Castleton, Derbyshire.