There are three main paths to experimenting with drugs. The first is through experimentation due to a curiosity around what the experience is like, or because of peer pressure.

The second is as a means of escaping feelings of sadness or anxiety. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 20% of substance users have an anxiety or mood disorder such as depression. Often when the drug use starts the person is not aware that they are struggling with a mental illness.

The third route starts with a prescription such as Opiates. Opiate-based drugs are well-known for their addictive properties and have a reputation for being overprescribed, about 80 percent of people who use heroin first misused prescription opioids.

This is not to say that there are not cases where there is no utility for prescribing opiate-based prescription drugs, rather, due to the fact that they are highly addictive, they should only be prescribed for short periods of time Findings by Helpguide indicate that patients prescribed opiate-based drugs lose their efficacy after four to six months, but that use for more than a month or two is very likely to lead to an addiction.