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I grew up in the Nancy Reagan "Just say no to drugs" era, watched my dad habitually drink himself to sleep every night, heard anecdotes about people getting stupid and embarrassing themselves under the influence of alcohol, and in my impressionable young years I was taught that alcohol kills brain cells.
So I've never been remotely interested to try any drugs or alcohol.
Now having lived in the real world, I'm 39 now, I witness all around me people drinking and doing drugs every single day, yet showing up to work in good form, and taking time for friends & family. From what I see, chemical use seems to be perfectly common, just kept on the down-low because it's illegal. I mean even young teens are doing it.
So please tell me, are drugs & alcohol really bad? Do they really kill brain cells? Or do they enhance life? Make life more bearable & enjoyable?
difference between being addicted and recreation use. yes drugs and alcohol do effect your judgment, however that is why people do them, to get away from the problems of life or to simply get a buzz on for a few hours and relax. the hard part is for people who drugs and alcohol destroys their lives.
I grew up in the Nancy Reagan "Just say no to drugs" era, watched my dad habitually drink himself to sleep every night, heard anecdotes about people getting stupid and embarrassing themselves under the influence of alcohol, and in my impressionable young years I was taught that alcohol kills brain cells.
So I've never been remotely interested to try any drugs or alcohol.
Now having lived in the real world, I'm 39 now, I witness all around me people drinking and doing drugs every single day, yet showing up to work in good form, and taking time for friends & family. From what I see, chemical use seems to be perfectly common, just kept on the down-low because it's illegal. I mean even young teens are doing it.
So please tell me, are drugs & alcohol really bad? Do they really kill brain cells? Or do they enhance life? Make life more bearable & enjoyable?
A small minority of people can't handle chemicals. They have no "off" switch and use until they drop, or become addicted and can't stop. The majority of people can dope and cope just fine. Not everyone who drinks becomes an alcoholic. Not every girl who snorts a line becomes a crack *****. Some do, which is where all the scare stories come from.
Generally, it is wise to avoid psychoactive chemicals, even caffeine. Certainly if you find yourself drinking 10 cups of coffee a day or killing a six pack every night, it's time to take a break. Very few people can use tobacco moderately enough that it doesn't harm their health.
Some psychoactive drugs have very low abuse potential. Psychedelics like LSD, mescaline(peyote) and psilocybin are pretty much self-limiting, in that you can't get high the second day. Generally people just take one or two 'trips' and report an improvement to their mental and emotional health afterwards. Even there, if the person is prone to schizophrenia, the drug can drive them right over the edge.
Are you serious, OP? You said you watched your dad drink himself to sleep every night and you have to ask that?
There are some folks who are not alcoholic and can handle their one or two drinks. They do not have the desire or compulsion to drink one drink after the other like alcoholics do. Does alcohol impair judgement? Absolutely. Just look at all the people who have been killed by drunk drivers.
What you see when people are able to tie one on the night before and come in to work is not unusual. It is nothing new. My dad, an alcoholic, did that. There are plenty of people who are functioning alcoholics and can still work and do their routine things and are able to "pull it off", for a while at least.
Good for you that you are staying away from drugs and alcohol. I am sorry that you felt the need to come and post this nonsense: "So please tell me, are drugs & alcohol really bad? Do they really kill brain cells? Or do they enhance life? Make life more bearable & enjoyable?"
I feel that you already know the answer to that and maybe just a little on the bored side and are trying to get some "action" started and people riled up when there really is no need.
I lost my dad, my grandfather and other relatives to alcoholism. I am a recovering alcoholic myself and do not take this kind of "tomfoolery" lightly. For an alcoholic, alcohol is bad, does kill brain cells, made my life a living hell and not more bearable and enjoyable.
Are you serious, OP? You said you watched your dad drink himself to sleep every night and you have to ask that?
There are some folks who are not alcoholic and can handle their one or two drinks. They do not have the desire or compulsion to drink one drink after the other like alcoholics do. Does alcohol impair judgement? Absolutely. Just look at all the people who have been killed by drunk drivers.
What you see when people are able to tie one on the night before and come in to work is not unusual. It is nothing new. My dad, an alcoholic, did that. There are plenty of people who are functioning alcoholics and can still work and do their routine things and are able to "pull it off", for a while at least.
Good for you that you are staying away from drugs and alcohol. I am sorry that you felt the need to come and post this nonsense: "So please tell me, are drugs & alcohol really bad? Do they really kill brain cells? Or do they enhance life? Make life more bearable & enjoyable?"
I feel that you already know the answer to that and maybe just a little on the bored side and are trying to get some "action" started and people riled up when there really is no need.
I lost my dad, my grandfather and other relatives to alcoholism. I am a recovering alcoholic myself and do not take this kind of "tomfoolery" lightly. For an alcoholic, alcohol is bad, does kill brain cells, made my life a living hell and not more bearable and enjoyable.
I am sincerely sorry for the loved ones you've lost to alcoholism. So proud of you for recovering & conquering every day.
I do feel naive on this topic because I've truly never tried any mind-altering substance and never plan to. I look around me and see that everyone else has at the very least dabbled in some sort of drug at some point, seemingly coming out more experienced and wiser for it. They go out at night, they have fun together, and I'm excluded because I'm not interested in chemicals. I simply will never do that to myself, and so there are experiences I've never had and never will have.
So I just had to ask to find the general concensus of the matter. Am I missing out, or am I fine the way I am...I guess I'm fine staying away from the stuff. I have addictive genes & tendencies anyway. I feel certain that drugs & alcohol would clobber me.
1. For those who like the effects of alcohol, it enhances life and makes it more enjoyable. As the heroin addicts say in Trainspotting: "What people forget is the pleasure of it all! We're stupid but we're not that F'n stupid!"
(Of course we are talking personal use and not effects on others.)
2. It only kills braincells in heavy amounts, not moderate to light drinking.
Drinking beer is honestly my favorite pastime in life. I'm 29; we'll see where it ends.
Won't end well.
Don in Austin
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