People who use drugs may do so at a number of different levels. This will affect their ability to make decisions about their drug use and possible risky behaviour.

Experimental

Experimental drug use generally includes people who may try a substance once or twice but after that do not use it again. Many individuals may experiment with one or two substances at some point in their lives.

Recreational

People may use drugs at a recreational level. At this level they will use them infrequently and often only on particular occasions or at certain social events, such as when going out clubbing. Recreational users are not that likely to be injecting, but this is not an absolute rule.

Dependent

This can be either physical dependency, where the person would experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop using, or psychological dependency when they feel unable to stop using

People who use drugs from the opiate family (i.e. heroin, methadone) or the benzodiazepine family (i.e. valium or temazepam) may become physically dependent if they use daily for 1–2 weeks, although this varies between individuals. Physical dependency means they will have withdrawal symptoms if they stop using, and is typically associated with depressant drugs such as heroin, methadone, benzodiazepines, alcohol and nicotine.

Many people experience psychological dependency on a number of different drugs including those already mentioned but also stimulants (i.e. cocaine, speed, crack) and even cannabis or caffeine. This type of dependency can be very hard to break. Many users will therefore have to deal with cravings (a desire to use) brought on by their physical and psychological dependency.

Some drug users do not want to or are unable to stop and may look to drug maintenance programmes or controlled drug use as a way of better managing their drug use. With controlled use individuals move from chaotic dependent use to using in a very structured and organised way. Some agencies offer support to help people make this transition and this can help individuals reduce the problems associated with drug use and enable them to make clearer choices about safer drug use.

In addition to dependency on drugs, some people experience a psychological dependency on injecting, known as needle fixation. This may make it very difficult to stop injecting.