Help me understand... illegal drug use

[bklyn]

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?

[zion zig zag]

Is this a rhetorical question? You seem so worldly and wise in so many of your posts that I believe you must know, but maybe not understand, some of the reasons?

[basom]

what drives someone to any self-destructive behavior?

[leroy jenkins]

I think its pretty simple.

If your sadness/hopelessness/angst/pain/frustration/etc then you really don't care about consequences, you just want to escape for a little while.

Addiction happens because once you escape once, you want that escape again, once you start becoming addicted to something, returning to your normal life gets harder and harder because your normal life is getting worse and worse, so you want to escape more and more.


I figured everyone knew this intuitively.

[lemon boy]

We're wired for em.

[Hutch]

I am sure that one element of an addictive personality is a sense of immortality - that "addiction couldn't happen to me."

There is a lot of pain out there, too, and people are looking to escape from that pain.

[bklyn]

I can say I assume many reasons why. Many of those 'reasons' are judgmental in nature so I'm looking for other points of view.

[lemon boy]

I think its pretty simple.

If your sadness/hopelessness/angst/pain/frustration/etc then you really don't care about consequences, you just want to escape for a little while.

Addiction happens because once you escape once, you want that escape again, once you start becoming addicted to something, returning to your normal life gets harder and harder because your normal life is getting worse and worse, so you want to escape more and more.


I figured everyone knew this intuitively.

thanks for this installment of "the more you know"

[RootSkier]

I don't know, I stick to the hippy drugs.

[MakersTeleMark]

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

Being honest here: because they are relatively cheap and they really fuck you up.

[zion zig zag]

Many of those 'reasons' are judgmental in nature so I'm looking for other points of view.

I think that's self protection, but like LB said, it's in us. Every once in a while, when I'm on my high horse and one of my co-workers starts treating one of these types like shit, I tell them that they are one dui/divorce/bankruptcy/whatever, from being in their shoes. Maybe true, maybe not.

[bklyn]

I don't know, I stick to the hippy drugs.

Is there really a difference?
IMO, no.

[soulman978]

I think its pretty simple.

If your sadness/hopelessness/angst/pain/frustration/etc then you really don't care about consequences, you just want to escape for a little while.

Addiction happens because once you escape once, you want that escape again, once you start becoming addicted to something, returning to your normal life gets harder and harder because your normal life is getting worse and worse, so you want to escape more and more.


I figured everyone knew this intuitively.

ding ding ding....we have a winner.........

let's also not forget depression and low self esteem.

[Cliff Huckable]

The bullshit-free answer to your question:

people do hard drugs because they like the feeling the hard drugs provide.

[RootSkier]

That's right, I am a bad person for smoking weed.

[Cliff Huckable]

Is there really a difference?
IMO, no.

What are you talking about? Explain your comment.

[bklyn]

.....let's also not forget depression and low self esteem.

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

[jibij]

Is there really a difference?
IMO, no.

I think so.
One's escapism, and can be more easily controlled. The other's slow suicide.

[advres]

I've personally never tried it, but I know people who have used Heroin. If you like to get high, they say there is absolutely nothing that compares to the feeling you get when you are on it. When coming off it and/or trying to kick it is the worst feeling they have ever felt.

A singer friend of mind rationalized it because doing any other drugs fucked up his throat, lungs and nasal cavity. Priorities...

[Liberal Genius]

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

Ever been to a Phish concert? LOL

Same as you strapping skis on with the possibility of killing yourself. You do it for the fun/rush/high.
Pretty simple really.

[basom]

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

mostly just willie nelson

[f2f]

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.

[bklyn]

What are you talking about? Explain your comment.

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' ....

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.

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

[soulman978]

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

not all, but some do. I never said that you had to be all of those things, just added two more contributing factors to the list.

[skifishbum]

"People who take drugs for spiritual or religious reasons are full of shit man.
Drugs only redeeming feature are they get you high"
-James Taylor