I think my addict friend started out self-medicating, at least in part I think. A few months before she started using, she said that she needed to see a psychiatrist to prescribe something for her. She didn't know what she needed, but she said she just needed to be on "medication". Well, I can't stand anything stronger than aspirin and think our society in general is waaay over-medicated. So when she told me this, it was so foreign to me. I suggested that she talk to a therapist about some major changes that had recently occurred in her life, and recommended that she try to avoid any medication if she can. Well, she didn't see anyone, said she felt fine and everything appeared to be normal. A few months later, while traveling in Europe, she met some drug users in her travel group. In just a couple of weeks, she had a daily habit and the rest is history.