To Use or To Be Used

Substance use and trauma typically manifest metaphorically through to use or to be used. For in one moment, a substance is used to feel happy, numb while in the next person is used to feel happy, numb. In this instance both the substance and the person become and object. When occurring together they are mutually reinforcing to one another and feed off the reward to instant gratification. This object is simply for use and it become ingrained into to the identity, self. Thus facilitating the illogical disconnect of use and being used to believe that the ones needs are truly being fulfilled or perhaps not caring if one is used. For example a young woman who works as a prostitute to pay for her substances. She will often share that it does not feel real for her, she had to do what she had to do to get her fix. However, due to this cyclical relationship, the pain gets buried and forms scars.