I want drug users, smokers, alcoholics to explain this to me (seriously)

[LuckyClover95]

Alcohol - When I'm tipsy or drunk, everything seems so fun. Everything is happiness x10. I can usually keep it in control. I only get drunk/tipsy about once or twice a month and I am in no way addicted, I can't imagine any long term health problems being too severe because, I'm 16, I'll have probably stopped drinking twice a month in 10 years. I generally don't go off my face. And I enjoy it, it's led to some excellent nights and hilarious stories.
Smoking - I'm not a smoker, but I've smoked a few times. I don't judge people for it. People start it because it's social, I always smoke socially. However I guess some people get addicted and carry it on, it's a comfort for them and a way to clear their head. I don't see it as worth it for the health issues, but I don't judge people - plus a lot of people quit after school or uni.
Drugs - People do drugs for many reasons. Curiosity, painkilling (like cannabis) to experience things they can't irl. To keep them energetic - there are probably loads more. I have done weed and a few legal ones like salvia and another I can't remember the name of. I am interested in hypoallergenic's, as a one-off or just like once every few years occasion. I do weed because I love how chilled I get. I just nlay there and talk t my other high friends feeling out of this world - that's if I have a spliff to myself though. If I share in one, I get lightheaded and sort of warm, like the emotion warm. I would never try heroin or cocaine. I've had ket recommended heavily but it sounds pretty dirty.

But year, I would recommend trying something, probably alcohol as you always know what you're going to get with alcohol. It's honestly fun. I would also sort of recommend having a spliff with a friend, but if you've never really had intoxicant's... yeah. But give some alcohol a go!

 

[MortarTeam]

I don't get smoking. I don't OBJECT to it, but I don't get. I have tried it several times, and it always feels like...Well, sucking on garbage. It doesn't help me relax, it doesn't...benefit me in any way. It just smells horrible. I just...Don't get it. At all.

To benefit you from it you would have to smoke regularly, more or less, otherwise negative experience would cover up all positive effects. It helps concentrate, makes you sharper, though for a brief period of time, sometimes it's all you need.

Smoking has no benefits It just tricks your brain into believing in a calming effect.

Wrong. Nicotine is psychoactive, check wikipedia. It's that bullcrap from Allen Carr.

 

[Fusionxl]

I have nothing too constructive to add, but I do recommend at least switching to those electronic cigars so it would be steam and nicotine you breathe in, not uncle Bob's chemical factory.

 

[int boom]

I'm 21 years old (just about 22 at this point), I've never once smoked or done drugs, I barely ever drink and have never been drunk. I don't want to criticize those who partake in those activities and if you come into this topic expecting to do that, please go elsewhere.

I just want to know why you chose to do it. It's widely known now that the benefits of those things are temporary but they could ruin your lives fairly easily. It just seems like there is absolutely no good reason for doing drugs, or smoking, or drinking in excess. I know some people are addicted, and that sucks because that's tough for anyone to overcome. Some I know are self-destructive; they know it's bad but they do it anyway apparently because they just don't care.

But I know I can't truly know why because I've never experienced it myself, so I want to understand. Please, if you want to, give me your honest reasons for doing what you do so I can understand where you're coming from even if I don't agree with it.

Depends where you live mate.

 

[SinisterGehe]

I feel you man, I am 18, That is the legal age to drink, smoke and do what the fuck you want with your body. Yet I haven't touched alcohol, since I tasted it last time when I was 14, I haven't EVER smoked, I haven't tried drugs and never will. Only thing is that I am on a constant pain medication for my dystonia, I don't want to take the drugs really, but I have to to be able to withstand the pain, sometimes the pain becomes so intense that I have to go to the local hospital to get help.

I respect having clear mind, I hate anything that clouds your mind from reality. I do not respect people who take alcohol/drugs/whatever in order to "escape" or "relax". If you can't relax without them, then you might as well seek professional treatment.

In my opinion: I haven't missed anything for being always sober. I know just as much about life as you do, no matter if I am sober or on something.

 

[Caveworm]

I like my drink now and then. Bit of a cocktail man myself.

As some people have said, getting drunk and just dropping all pretences is good for the soul-in moderation. Having a social drink with work colleagues is always nice, or a nice cold one after a long hard week at work in the pub with a few friends.

Smoking is not something I've ever really liked. I tried it once, got the cigarette stuck to my lip, burnt a hole, and ended ruining my 'cool' factor. ^_^. I find them expensive and I don't like the smell.

Drugs are OK-in moderation, again. Thought I won't pretend to be some expert on them, what I have tried I have enjoyed. Never felt any addiction to them or need for them. I guess maybe it depends on your own personality? I know a good few people who can do some coke, acid, or whatever, then won't do it for months later.

(Though for some reason, when I try some weed, it makes me sneeze a great deal. Like having hay-fever, but with weed)

 

[Agathore]

iv bin doing drugs 4 as far back as i can remember and i cant remember the last day that i went with out getting high at least 1's but i personally do that because well life's a boring and depressing thing so u might as well b doing the things that make u happy witch getting high dus so y not? and well as 4 smoking its a great way 2 help relev stress

 

[SemiHumanTarget]

Allow me to attempt a more existential answer to your question.

People in general drink, smoke and take drugs because we've been doing those things since the beginning of time. You can look at any time in history and see that human beings had some type of drug or tobacco product and some kind of substance that would make you drunk. Human beings just LIKE getting some kind of buzz. I mean, I know guys who don't do any kind of anything, but they always substitute it with something else; extreme sports, MMA, the military, etc.

Drugs and alcohol are naturally occurring (and for the sake of argument, let's avoid semantics over "lab drugs" and brewing processes) and societies have used them to cope with the human condition for a reaaaaal long time. Think about it this way: If you're a soldier and you get shot, you take morphine. If you're clinically depressed and possibly suicidal, you take a powerful anti-depressant. But for everyday aches and pains or a little emotional distress, something that extreme isn't necessary. So, no matter if you're living in Ben Franklin's time or the modern day, a cold one after a stressful day at work makes sense. Ditto with arthritis pain and weed, or what-have-you. It's really no less natural than, say, getting a massage or playing a video game to relieve stress.

Anyway, it's all about moderation. I have two bottles of beer every day after work, binge maybe once a month, have a cigar from time to time, and smoke weed once in a very long while, and I've never had any negative experiences outside of a hangover once in a while. It hasn't affected my health in the least; I'm active and fit, and I'm the same weight at 29 that I was at 18.

 

[Booze Zombie]

Sometimes you just do drugs, drink or whatever because you like it, the little buzz, the gentle numbing, the temporary reprise from being yourself. There's not normally some dark secret, a terrible past you're trying to escape, everyone I know drinks because drinking makes you feel good.

 

[Guitarmasterx7]

Sometimes life is better intoxicated, especially if your everyday life is shit anyways or excessively mundane.

Plus I don't plan or want to live past 60 anyways.

 

[Le_Lisra]

... because it's fun.


When done within reason.

What the heck did you expect?

 

[elvor0]

Because they are weak with no willpower. The same goes for people with overweight that just can't stop eating fatty food, even if they wish they could. They will use excuses like "it's a social thing" or "you have your bad habits as well", but they are only fooling themselves.

I do hope you're only referring to addicts here. (I will however semi stick up for heroin addicts, that stuff is fucking heavy, it takes a VERY VERY strong willpower to get off that stuff.)

It also takes strong willpower to not begin taking such stuff. Or just once to 'try it', and never touch it again.

Okay, so what about Alcohol, pot or LSD? Neither drugs are addictive and most people drink and I am quite in control of my life even though I smoke pot and drink on quite a regular basis.

EDIT: Or are we just on about Heroin here?

 

[LostTimeLady]

As a fellow non-smoker, non-drugs user and someone who will drink but never get drunk I too have asked this question many a time.
A friend recently said something along the following lines that was interesting:
When you drink and get drunk you basically let go and be spontanious.
My response was 'well, I can choose to be silly and spontanious' but in his eyes that's not the same thing.
I guess some people like the feeling of letting go. I'm sure that's certainly the case with alcohol and probably some halusanagenic drugs.
I guess it's things people like, all though I defy anyone to tell me that they didn't feel even a little bit ill after their first ciggy... the damn things make me feel sick just smelling them from a distance... (ok that's probably a massive generalisation, sorry).

 

[Horizontalvertigo]

I'm just going to preface my response by saying I'm a severe Haemophiliac, it's not an excuse or a plea for sympathy. Now I hate to admit it, but it affects a lot of my life, whether its due to the pain I suffer quite regularly, the anxieties that come with a life threatening disease which can be complicated to treat, or the... well, depression I guess, that comes with the knowledge that you're more than likely going to suffer it for the rest of your life, and many other factors; as such it affects my approach to drugs, smokes and the drink.

I'm one of the few members of my friend group who's never recreationally taken drugs, I just don't see the risk and reward being worth it, sure I might try something in the future, but I'm really wary about addiction. Something that can remove all my pain and suffering so quickly? Yeah. It's an issue. One I really don't want to have to face, so for the moment, no drugs for me.

Cigarettes were something I did dabble in, but I decided I wasn't interested, sure you get the odd craving cause goddamn does it soothe and calm you down. I had enough though and quit, when I'm drunk I have been known to still smoke an offered cig though haha. Cigars however, cigars I do love, they're actually enjoyable, and have a pretty heavy hit. Even then though, I don't smoke them very often.

I drink because I like it, I drink in social situations, and I drink to take the edge off pain and the shitty parts of my life. Drunkedness washes away all the nasty parts of life, it's a liberating buzz, you can just leave the world behind you and have a good time free of your troubles. I dunno, there's just something emancipating to just drinking yourself into a coma, it's kind of a temporary death I guess. Just to slip away with the alcohol. But that's something I've done a grand total of twice, and only once on purpose. (See why I definitely don't want to go near drugs?) I'm probably going to be a pretty severe alcoholic in my future, saying this at the ripe old age of 18, but theres some other futures that are probably a bit worse than that.

That's why I do what I do, in part due to my illness, in part due to how much I really dig drinking. There's probably hundreds of other reasons for why I drink, but those are the major reasons. To understand why people drink, smoke or use, I guess you really have to understand the person doing it.

 

[uttaku]

Right well, I'm not an alcohloic but i do drink regularly and I don't smoke but I have on occassion so I'll try to answer your question as best possible. Although this will really only pertain to drinking tbh.

I drink for numerous reasons, I enjoy the taste of good alcohol which is a factor, I like the happy feeling you get from being tipsy. In certain situations alcohol can make a situation better, eg i hate clubbing but if all my mates are going out i'll go but get a bit drunk. As to the negative side affects I look at it this way, I am not addicted a long time ito alcohol so I have no worry about it consuming my life. The health consquences are, as long drinking is kept moderate, minimal and tbh a long time in the future and before people point out this is not a good arguement i would disagree, if drinking takes say 5 years of my life eventaully I'm not sure I'm that bothered, I mean I would rather enjoy myself and throughout my life by doing something I enjoy than refrain from doing it just so I can live a little bit longer when tbh you are prevented by age of doing many things that are enjoyable. Also I do kinda believe that by the time I ever possibly develop problems medical science will have progessed far enough to probably deal with them.

sorry for the text dump.

 

[Mrrrgggrlllrrrg]

I smoke only fine cigars once or twice a month but I try to keep it to important dates. I drink for the taste and never drink to excess. I have never and never will do illicit drugs or abuse medication because to be honest that is ruffian behavior and I'm a lawful member of society. Indeed *gently stroke perfectly groomed beard*



It's true but I'm not that snooty about it.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

No "reason" for doing lots of things. Ice-cream makes you fat, as does chocolate. Driving costs you money and poisons you from all the exhaust fumes. Watching TV damages your eyes and slows you down. Going outside gives you skin cancer or some such bollocks.

People do things to have fun. That's as simple as it gets.

 

[Sjakie]

I'm 21 years old (just about 22 at this point), I've never once smoked or done drugs, I barely ever drink and have never been drunk. I don't want to criticize those who partake in those activities and if you come into this topic expecting to do that, please go elsewhere.

I just want to know why you chose to do it. It's widely known now that the benefits of those things are temporary but they could ruin your lives fairly easily. It just seems like there is absolutely no good reason for doing drugs, or smoking, or drinking in excess. I know some people are addicted, and that sucks because that's tough for anyone to overcome. Some I know are self-destructive; they know it's bad but they do it anyway apparently because they just don't care.

But I know I can't truly know why because I've never experienced it myself, so I want to understand. Please, if you want to, give me your honest reasons for doing what you do so I can understand where you're coming from even if I don't agree with it.

Entertaining as those 3-line responses might be, i doubt they actually answered your question: 'why did you start?'

I'm 32 now and i started smoking (pot) around when i was 14. In my teens I also experimented with lots of other drugs like XTC, LSD, Speed and Coke. but only nicotine and weed got picked up on a regular (daily) basis
The reason why i started was a number of things: peer-pressure, curiousity and an attitude of 'dont-care-my-life-is-shit-anyway', not to mention i wanted to be cool and i felt indestructable as a teenager (dont we all?) so i did not worry about addiction.

And once you find out the possitive effects of drugs you kinda want to integrate them into your life for the fun they provide combined with the excitement of doing something fun and illigal with your friends.
As a teen you dont really think about getting addicted and when you do, you go 'can't happen to me, i'm better then that' of you decide to only do it every other week or so. Low self-esteem didn't help either.

That self-destructing part you describe: THAT is the actual addiction, your need for the drug of choice takes over your decision making. Users might say they dont care: they just dont want to admit they lost control and powerless people are 'uncool'. They care, but are often in denial that they turned into a 'loser-drug-dependant' (i know i was) only few actually dont have a clue even after the prolonged use of drugs. And ofcourse whatever drug you use: the high makes you forget about that idea for some time.

I Quit smoking pot when i was 19 since i smoked myself into a paranoid-schizophrenic episode (smoking a gram of good Dutch pot a day will do that to you) Yes, that can happen, i was part of the 5% of people this happens too. It took me 5 years of a crappy, stressfull personal life and daily abuse to get to that point. But i also heard of people getting like that after a single time use, once the 'high' wears of they all return to normal though.
Even though i knew smoking pot at the time would make me paranoid and delusional: it was rather hard to stop using it at first. It became a part of my life i enjoyed for many years and now it turned on me. Once my brain figured out that it wasn't fun/good for me anymore but bad, quiting became easy since Weed does not make you physically dependant like many other drugs.
Once i did quit i returned to normal and i took up drinking alcohol a few years later, since i now also started belonging to an other social class.
Maybe not as good on the body like Pot, but certainly better for my mental state compared to it. Now i dont drink on a regular basis: i'm a social drinker. And months can pass by without me using alcohol if i dont feel like it. I still know a few people that use Pot as i use alcohol now and those people are fine. If your brain is fine with weed i would still recommend it over alcohol, provided you know your limits and dont turn into a problem-user like i did. It's a valuable experience, it sure as hell made me smarter about myself and gave me valuable insights in all kind of things, but it just loses all it's value if you overdo it like with all drugs.

The real addiction i have is tobacco: just cant beat it (yet) the weird thing about that is something you already know: it doesn't provide me with anything, no high, no physical improvements whatsoever. It is just that physical dependancy that makes me go back to it every day.

 

[thelaughingman]

Depends on what you are asking about. I smoke cigs because i'm an idiot an to stressed out on a daily basis to quit. I smoke pot because that's the only time i really get hungry, which my doctor said is a perfectly good reason to continue in moderation. By in moderation i mean like 2-3 times a week.

Now on to the difficult part. Myself and two of my friends started using heroin at around 14 for no better reason than because it was there, it was amazingly good quality and dirt cheap, like $5 a bag (so if you're an idiot and have decided you want to throw your life away, take my advice and move to New Jersey).

Having quit about a year ago I have realized that certain people are just geared towards that lifestyle, and someone who has never done it will never understand why it takes some people so long to wake the hell up and get sober. Clarification: the phrase "geared toward that lifestyle" can mean really anything. For me it meant I was the type of person who more or less depressed about every aspect of my life and really only got serious enjoyment out of freaking people out, getting them to be scared of me (trying to validate my feelings toward myself, i guess) so the logical choice from where i was standing was to shoot up and do performance art based around drugs, Rimbaud, and self mutilation.

So that's why I chose to do it.
As far as crack/meth goes, it's really something i could never fathom doing, solely because you're paying $20-$50 for something that makes you want another hit before you've blown the first one out. Compare that $15 for a three hour orgasm and i could give a fuck about the stigma and the risk attached to shooting up.

Hope that gives you at least a little insight, and know that to some people it really does seem like the only logical choice.

 

[ellistoner]

Drugs - I smoke weed quite often with my girlfriend and our mates when we can afford it.. Its clinicaly proven to be harmless; the only downside is that i have to pay for it. It makes me feel good, and at peace with myself and everything around me, for no health risk and for a slight monetary indention

Drink - I only drink at parties - granted, when I go, I go large, but thats a one or twice a month deal (mighty boosh quote )Its fun and I enjoy it, and the way I see it, i'm not going out every night and getting hammered, i'm not passing out every time I drink (but that HAS happened twice). So, while still slightyly dangerous to my health, its still not that bad.

Smoking - I've been smoking around 5 a day for the past month and 10days, (ish. since i met my girlfriend.) and I still don't feel cravings, which I guess is good... I smoke rollies with filters, which is about as healthy as you can get with smoking, short of using healthy baccy (which I don't want to do.). I have a fag whenever i'm waiting for a bus, or for someone, or just when I feel like it.. While I KNOW FOR SURE that this is harmful, I still enjoy it - it relaxes me, and hey - you only live once, might as well enjoy it.

Peace and Brains.