Watch me as I now proceed to become very unpopular with this righteous broom allegedly stuck up my nether region.
This post goes out to all the boozers, smokers, weedheads and druggies out there. Why do you do what you do? That's more of a question borne out of sheer curiosity than a snobbish remark. Is it an escape mechanism? A social necessity? An addiction?
I've been watching my world very closely for some time. The more I grow up, the more people I know who drink, smoke and do drugs. Hell, I've even been guilty of some of it myself, not so long ago. I used to be a heavy boozer by my own standards, so much so that at one point of life it was difficult to go by for a day without getting high. Not many know about that side of my life... and those who do, laugh in disbelief or mockery, not really convinced that my standards are as extensive as theirs. The fact of the matter remains that, from drinking socially while out with friends, I ended up having more than a few sips on a daily basis and ultimately hiding things from my loved ones whilst knowingly boozing when I shouldn't. Because as much as I hated the bitter taste of the stuff, I loved being high. My cares went away. I was an 'adult', doing adult things. I was witty... I was raunchy... I was friendly... I was free.
In retrospect, I was also pretty stupid.
I don't think I came to the point of an addiction (thankfully), because one fine day I told myself that getting high was just overrated and I managed to stop cold. This resulted in a few months of absolute inner hell that I am proud to have expertly covered up from the rest of the world, lest the gravity of my problem put the people I cared for off me. I suffered quite a number of withdrawal symptoms - mood swings, irritability, fevers, high levels of depression, etc. But eventually I kicked the want for liquor in my system. Sometimes I miss being high, and still desperately want to take that one sip that will satisfy me... but I don't allow myself to go that far, because I'm afraid of going back to being ashamed of myself and my lack of willpower.
What I went through is nothing compared to the thousands of recovering serious alcoholics... my drinking didn't even border on addiction, so I can just imagine how much harder it is for those who've gone further than I have to get back to soberdom.
What's really funny is that even the most addicted soul knows that what he/she is doing is bad. Much like we know that murder is bad, or rape is bad. Addiction is bad. The effects of tobacco, marijuana, alcohol or whatever else we use is bad- for our bodies, for our mind and for our lives in the long run. Even though we may not be heavily addicted to the stuff, we know we love it and couldn't possibly live without it. We know this, but we still go ahead and do it. Why? Why do we continuously lust after that delirous feeling of getting high, when we know it's not good for us? Honestly, tell me... can you really put your hand up and defend the stuff? Can you actually tell me that drugs, ciggies and drinks are the only ways to be happy or cool?
I don't know why the thought of people smoking up affects me as much as it does. I'm almost ashamed and embarrassed to confess that I'm not as cool a girl as I thought, to be so discombobulated over the fact that people smoke weed. What's so wrong with it, I ask myself a million times. I know so many others who do, and I never had this prude attitude about it before. Everyone and their grannies do it nowadays... and weed is not a hard drug... in fact, it's even medicinal! So why the devil doesn't it sit well with me? And why should I be such a fusspot about it... Do I really need to be such a case about it?
Why the gajeebers can't I let it go and chill? It's not my business, right?
Perhaps because I know that, of all forms of escape that a person can use, these are the worst? That alcohol, tobacco and weed have become adult society's mandatory and necessary evils, much like war? That as much pleasure it gives us now, it is slowly but surely fucking up our minds, lungs, kidneys, livers and hearts bit by gooey bit?
But who cares. We live for the day, right? And nothing comes close to the sensations of being well and truly high.
Doubtless this post will spark off quite a number of heated comments. Don't worry... these are only my personal thoughts, and I am not trying to shove them down your throats. I don't want to convert you into the boring lifeless sod that I am. I envy your fuck-all carefree attitude on this matter. It's a lot more fun than singing a song to relieve your mind. Everyone's entitled to their own choices in life.
But really... why do we do it? And again... that's curiosity speaking and inviting discussion.
17 comments:
Anything is fun as long as you do it moderately. Your method is good since u have been there done it a bit too much i assume and got out of it and are an example of u can have fun without getting high. ( i think u are one of the lucky few who has figured out that you had to get out of it at that point not everyones that sensible). i think its a nice feeling being high and it makes a person carefree sometimes....... Moderation is the key.
Guy at work who's been smoking for over twenty years, quit the habbit because of his son who had been pestering him to stop.
He had pretty amazing resolve. He too went through a tough phase while trying to quit.
I think people need to find purpose to their lives. Once they do so they realise the waste of a needless addiction.
Why do you do what you do?
(a) its vegetarian - like there are no cute endangered animals killed so its totally cool
(b) its pseudo orgasmic - anything that gets close to an orgasm should be allowed. why do we love to eat deep fried cuttle fish (an ugly non-endangered tasty animal) in hot butter sauce (did i get that right?)?
(c) it makes you feel lighter - by any human standard i'm a bit heavy. so anything that makes me feel a bit lighter i would allow.
(d) it makes crap food taste so much better - tried eating the kottu at pilawoos when you're sober?
Some people just like to get high without a reason :)
People have been brewing alcohol for a long time. In fact brewing dates back to the beginning of civilisation in your favorite Egypt :)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_alcohol
http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/controversies/1114796842.html
Weed had been in use since 6000BC, seed used in china in food.
http://www.concept420.com/marijuana_cannabis_history_timeline.htm
I think we humans are genetically programmed to get high and paartyyy... woo hoo...
Intoxication is just eacapism. it is a result of the need to look for fulfillment outside our own mundane lives. it is just a matter of perspective. and to be firmly rooted in reality all the time is more than most of us can handle.
Fpr me personally, knowing it's bad for me just isn't a good enough reason to give it up.
People keep telling me I'll regret it when I'm old and suffering, but who knows if I'll ever live to be old?
I'd rather have my fun and deal with the results of it later. :)
agreed with santhoshi. Good on u for stopping purely by resolve.
"I think people need to find purpose to their lives. Once they do so they realize the waste of a needless addiction".
You hit the nail with that one. Spot on, couldn't agree more.
I am a wee bit confused. If you had a minor alcohol addiction yourself, why do you ask why other people get drunk or high? You should know? hmmm...
dhammika d
Hmm... I'm going to contradict myself quite a few times in the effort to explain/defend/condemn my reasons. So here goes.
If by chance you have strolled over to my blog, you'd know that I'm a consumer of the liquid form. Very heavy consumer, on the given occasion, but limited to very few occasions (once in 2 months) due to certain health conditions. For me, it's the high. I love that tipsy feeling you get when it hits the spot. The trick is to maintain the high without going over, passing the tripping stage.
That being said, on the many occasions that I dont drink I still go out with the friends (usually once a week) to enjoy the company, and have a good time watching them get drunk. Luckily I'm able to still have a ball of a time, without feeling left out and without letting the urge taking over.
So if that's all possible, why do I still drink? The High man... it's just can transform good times into great times. Also after a hard days work, having a Cold Beer and chatting with an old pal is a wonderful stress reliever.
All that being said, we all know Alco, Tobacco and Weed are bad for you. It might not kill you directly but nevertheless they're bad! Oh and can you truly be moderate on this?
BTW For alternative reasons, you can always try the buffalo theory.
Thank you all for your comments. I appreciate the different points of view.
Santhoshi & Deecee - Thanks. It means alot, and I am proud of myself for sticking to it. But I don't fully agree with my own resolve sometimes... being high was such a great experience, that I sometimes wonder why I stay away from it!
Dark Horse- True, but I still haven't found purpose to my life...
Shehal - man... trust you to put everything into perspective. :D
thewhackster - make no mistake... I may have stopped drinking, but I sure as hell ain't rooted in reality!! Maybe that's why sober is easy for me... I'm naturally escapist.
thekillromeoproject - I get ya.
anon 2 - I ask because even though I did it myself, I still can't give myself a good enough reason, and I question why we as humans do the things we do.
So do i post a comment in fear of being inadvertantly judged? Hmmm maybe not....
Personally have different reasons for my different err...indulgences..
alco I like for many reasons
Taste - a good reserve and coke/GB I'll sip on for hours. well made Mojitos go down so refreshingly. Lion lager on a hot day.
Social - tequila shots in a club with a couple of hot girls. A quiet drink with the boys.
the buzz - this used to be more important for me when i used to club more...not so much anymore.
Maryjane is for one reason...relaxation...sex while high is quite nice as well...oh yeah funny movies like Hitchhikers Guide. Recently cos of the stressed lifestyle its also become necesary to unwind.
Everybody needs a bit of relaxation/fun...none of us have perfect lives. Just don't make it an 'escape'...at least too often.
chaarmax - that buffalo theory makes a good point! :)))
doc - nah. no one's judging anyone... this is just a forum for discussion and everyone's entitled to opinions and viewpoints. You to yours, me to mine.
N - Many would agree with that, as do I.
Just an aside.... I read this article (Cant remember where - maybe the Daily Mirror) that said getting high is a natural thing for humans.
In fact it's a very natural thing even in the animal kingdom. (cats and catnip for instance)
This article gave many such examples of how animals are genetically programmed to get high at some point in their life.
So maybe we share that programming to some extent?? ;)
I tend to subscribe it to the following reasons
a) it is a form of escapism
b) keeping up with the jone's
c) people with more money than the grey stuff
well firstly doing drugs and boozing and what not its a private negative effect while rape and murder is more social.
only people who really care and dont do the above will tell u to stop it. The others dont care as long as it doesnt affect them.
i smoke and booze and all that jazz but i do that on a night out basis only
and yeah the older u get the more people u know do this stuff. its an adult thing
yeah shehal the kottu taste better when ur high ;)
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