Help me understand... illegal drug use

[ProHoHater]

Oh...and for total enlightenment. Drugs have been used for thousands of years by all walks of life....including some animals...for as many reasons as there are thoughts. Some of the greatest minds that have ever lived have used and written about psychedelics and other mind expanding chemicals. Personally, some of the most defining moments of my life have been while expanding my mind on psychedelics such as ayuaska.

[advres]

and actually the original question is flawed. Why do people abuse prescription drugs is also a valid question which I believe could be lumped in. But I think we already had our answer.

[soulman978]

and actually the original question is flawed. Why do people abuse prescription drugs is also a valid question which I believe could be lumped in. But I think we already had our answer.

you are right. people abuse prescription drugs for the same reasons they abuse illegal drugs.... as an escape mechanism.

[Joey Joe Joe Junior Shabadoo]

Well, you ask a pretty open ended question so the answers and reasons may be as varied and open ended as the question. My guess, or feeling from personal experience, is that most people who indulge in these activities do so for the same reason. The main difference between addicts and occasional users is one of some self-control and genetic hardwiring. Your original question hints at the fact that you may drink, although not to the point that getting sick is guaranteed. Is this true? Why do you drink? have drank to the point of getting buzzed? full on drunk?? Did you enjoy these feelings? why?

[Nathan Explosion]

I don't understand the motivations of the person who has to light up a joint, snort a line, pop pills, or get ridiculously drunk at every social event, or to get through a quiet Sunday afternoon. I'd also like to come to a different conclusion than they are somehow 'weak'.

If the only answer is 'low self esteem' ....



There are many positive ways to be happy(ier) that don't involve addiction or the possibility of incarceration.

So, you started a thread with a rhetorical question under the guise of curiosity, and now seek only to pass judgment when given answers to the questions posed?

Maybe you should work on defining "weak".

[iceman]

Hell, dogs like to drink beer.

[RootSkier]

I like how she conflates "light a joint" with "get ridiculously drunk". bklyn's friends must be very, very different than mine. I wonder if they feel all superior, too?

[Nathan Explosion]

I like how she conflates "light a joint" with "get ridiculously drunk". Your friends must be very, very different than mine. Do they feel all superior, too?

No, no, no. Your opinion is not valid, you filthy pothead. Stop being a burden to society. Your drug use is hereby equated to the drunk guy who went bowling with his car at a bike race.

[mc_roon]

huge difference between 'hippy' drugs and others IMO.

For instance, i am currently taking a total bullshit class whose teacher insists on taking attendance every day. She then reads word for word from her notes, which are available online. I(and many of my class) show up blazed most days, just to make the most boring part of our day more interesting/enjoyable.

As for why i indulge? I like the feeling. And, where i live a little weed is about the same importance as getting an old ladies cat out of the tree, so thats not a worry for me. Never done any hard drugs, never want to mainly because i know i have an addictive personality and i would be very tempted to go overboard and fuck up my life.

[Falldise]

Cause its fun???? Isn't that generally people's motivation for recreational pursuits?

[bklyn]

I like how she conflates "light a joint" with "get ridiculously drunk". Your friends must be very, very different than mine. Do they feel all superior, too?

The intention is not to pass judgment.

If there is a difference between "light a joint" and "get ridiculously drunk", then help me understand it.
Feeling superior isn't a good way to categorize what's written, I avoided it for various reasons during the age of experimentation and now do not understand it.

If I wanted to pass judgment, the thread title would be "Drugs are stupid and only for the weak. Discuss..."

[Poop~Ghost]

I don't understand the motivations of the person who has to light up a joint, snort a line, pop pills, or get ridiculously drunk at every social event, or to get through a quiet Sunday afternoon. I'd also like to come to a different conclusion than they are somehow 'weak'.

Addiction is very different from recreation, and so the above quote could be stated:

I don't understand the addiction of a person who has to...

Most people don't go from johnny-on-the-spot 8th grader to crack addict directly. Depression, peer groups, parents who use, stupidity, immaturity all can lead somebody into an avenue that starts you down the road to full blown addiction. With a thousand incremental steps along the way all setting the hooks deeper.

There's infinite ways that people start down that path, because everybody is different.

The real issue is that some folks are wired up to head straight into full blown addict and it has nothing to do w/ their desire to stop. It's a chemical addiction and their brain is hooked line and sinker and until they bottom out, they aren't going to let the addict in side go hungry.

Their non-addict personality may hate the addict - but it's a losing battle because the scales are always tipped. Cheap and easy drugs and booze when life is hard.

Times are good, you can quit.

Big life loss, you better believe that the addict will be screaming in their heads.

I'm not an addict, but I've been close to addiction in my life. It is brutal.

The wacky thing is that some people can drink recreationally/use drugs whenever they please, and take it or leave it. They aren't genetically setup to mind one way or the other. The next guy will know with the first drinking binge or line of blow, that it is the other way for him.

[basom]

sour diesel smells good, thats a positive.

[OldLarry]

The intention is not to pass judgment.

If there is a difference between "light a joint" and "get ridiculously drunk", then help me understand it.
Feeling superior isn't a good way to categorize what's written, I avoided it for various reasons during the age of experimentation and now do not understand it.

If I wanted to pass judgment, the thread title would be "Drugs are stupid and only for the weak. Discuss..."

it is possible to get baked w/ out being totally annihilated- erm, so I'm told...

[Brock Landers]

People live lives in their own different ways. Past experiences or differences within cause each individual to be just that- an individual. I think deeming someone "weak" because their thoughts and experiences and lives dont pass your sniff test is sort of shitty. I wouldnt try and guess at why someone chooses to live their life a certain way, whether from lighting a joint, drinking a beer, snorting a line, or sitting on the internet chastising those who live their lives however they want.

People do the drugs to change the reality at hand. Whether its mcroon's boring as hell class getting a little more interesting after a puff, to the down and out lawyer who is stressed out of his skull and needs to really "escape" with something else. Once the addictive nature of both the physical drug and the altered sense of reality become ingrained, its hard to get out from under that need.

Personally, I wouldnt see myself doing these "hardcore drugs" tomorrow, next week, next year, or ever. But things change in life and to have an open mind just regarding that things are different from person to person is important. Doesnt make drugs right...according to you or me...but the addict isnt interested in that, its right for him/her at the time.

[yodaottis]

It creeps up on you, and if you're not a strong person by the time you notice you just don't give a shit anymore.

Best way I could put it.

Edit: I think there are legitimate uses for many drugs, but some have a high potential for abuse.
These are the ones I speak of.

[mrw]

because we're still not able to wire electrodes directly to the pleasure centres of our brains? i assure you, as soon as we can do that all drug use will cease.

shades of "Terminal Man"

[PNWbrit]

Most people don't go from johnny-on-the-spot 8th grader to crack addict directly. Depression, peer groups, parents who use, stupidity, immaturity all can lead somebody into an avenue that starts you down the road to full blown addiction. With a thousand incremental steps along the way all setting the hooks deeper.

There's infinite ways that people start down that path, because everybody is different.

The real issue is that some folks are wired up to head straight into full blown addict and it has nothing to do w/ their desire to stop. It's a chemical addiction and their brain is hooked line and sinker and until they bottom out, they aren't going to let the addict in side go hungry.

Their non-addict personality may hate the addict - but it's a losing battle because the scales are always tipped. Cheap and easy drugs and booze when life is hard.

Times are good, you can quit.

Big life loss, you better believe that the addict will be screaming in their heads.

I'm not an addict, but I've been close to addiction in my life. It is brutal.

The wacky thing is that some people can drink recreationally/use drugs whenever they please, and take it or leave it. They aren't genetically setup to mind one way or the other. The next guy will know with the first drinking binge or line of blow, that it is the other way for him.

Here is your answer...

[Buzzworthy]

My question to you is why do you want to understand? You are intelligent enough to know it is not for you. Some of us are not as blessed.

I see a large difference in drugs, as referenced to "hippy drugs".

But yes, bottom line it is illegal.

And it can kill pain, which we all have and deal with differently.

Man is destructive by nature; to himself and others.

[mrw]

Personally, I'm live and let live when it comes to this, but I don't get it.

Same goes for getting so drunk that being sick is guaranteed or drinking any alcohol that tastes completely awful because it gets you drunk quicker.

What drives someone to do meth, crack, heroin or any drug where there is a high chance of addiction, arrest for possession, etc?

self medication. To escape "what" varies. + as previously mentioned, some people are pre-wired for addiction.

[Hugh Conway]

We're wired for em.

ding ding ding

curious if half of the other people have any experience with drugs other than the interweb and "that stoner in the back of Algebra in 8th grade"

[The Dad]

If there is a difference between "light a joint" and "get ridiculously drunk", then help me understand it.

Do you accept that there's a difference between having a drink, getting tipsy, and getting ridiculously drunk?

If so, it's kind of like that -- questions of degree abound.

[Cliff Huckable]

So all those people who stink of weed have low self esteem?

Trying to tie low self-esteem to smoking weed is just silly. That's the kind of thing a high-school guidance counsellor would say.

Equating weed with coke and heroin? Are you just trolling? That seems purposefully naive/off-the-mark.

btw, If the people stink of weed, they just don't care what people think, that's all. I can't say it has anything to do with self esteem, they just don't care if you know they've been smoking. I'd guess that "people who stink of weed" make up about 2% of the weed-smoking population. You, especially you, wouldn't have a clue if someone was high.

[advres]

I forgot about this.

This past Memorial Day I was at a BBQ with some friends I haven't seen in a long time. We were all drinking and I asked one of my friends what he did for work now. He is head addiction councilor for a youth treatment facility. A few hours later I saw him doing lines off the washing machine. kinda makes you giggle.

[RootSkier]

If there is a difference between "light a joint" and "get ridiculously drunk", then help me understand it.

I'm not even sure what you mean. Certainly, you've hung out with enough maggots to see some of them smoking weed without drastically changing their behavior?