There are almost as many different patterns of using drugs and alcohol, as there are different drugs – this article explains some of the common patterns.

There is huge variation in the ways young people use drugs.

• Most young people experiment with alcohol and/or other drugs at some point in their adolescence – this is very normal.
• Many young people will go on to use drugs recreationally.  Recreational use is generally a social pattern of drug use, for example, drinking at parties or taking pills at a music festival or when out clubbing.
• Situational use is where a drug may be used only in specific situations. For example, using speed heavily to stay awake during exam preparation, or drinking heavily to get through an emotional time of the year.
• Intensive use is where drugs are used regularly and heavily.
• Dependent use is when you feel like you don’t have much choice in having to use – if you don’t use you start to feel worse or anxious. Lots of young people describe this as feeling like they need to use drugs controls them, rather than them having control of their drug use.