When is drug use okay?

[Eastwinn]

This thread is not about drug legalization. Don't even bring it up.

I take a drug called citalopram. When taken once daily, it makes me a bit happier and reduces my risk of suicide. I also take a drug called lithium carbonate. Once daily, it has the same effects along with preventing me from falling of my rocker. This is "medical use" of a drug.

I have a friend who smokes weed at least once a day. She does it because she finds it fun. She's not addicted to the drug but chooses to use it daily as a hobby. This is "recreational use" of a drug.

Another friend of mine drinks alcohol every single day, most often towards the afternoon. He reports that without it he feels terrible. This is called "addiction." For the purposes of this thread, we will assume that he has no interest in the drug other than to curve withdrawal symptoms.

I suffer from chronic nausea. I drink ginger ale every morning to help keep symptoms down. However, occasionally I will use marijuana to divert the nausea while also enjoying its effects. This would be both medical and recreational.

Which of these usages are okay?
_________________

As Ellie Draws - surreal sketches and characters.

John Cage wrote:

The first question I ask myself when something doesn't seem to be beautiful is why do I think it's not beautiful. And very shortly you discover that there is no reason.

[Eastwinn]

This thread is not about drug legalization. Don't even bring it up.

I take a drug called citalopram. When taken once daily, it makes me a bit happier and reduces my risk of suicide. I also take a drug called lithium carbonate. Once daily, it has the same effects along with preventing me from falling of my rocker. This is "medical use" of a drug.

I have a friend who smokes weed at least once a day. She does it because she finds it fun. She's not addicted to the drug but chooses to use it daily as a hobby. This is "recreational use" of a drug.

Another friend of mine drinks alcohol every single day, most often towards the afternoon. He reports that without it he feels terrible. This is called "addiction." For the purposes of this thread, we will assume that he has no interest in the drug other than to curve withdrawal symptoms.

I suffer from chronic nausea. I drink ginger ale every morning to help keep symptoms down. However, occasionally I will use marijuana to divert the nausea while also enjoying its effects. This would be both medical and recreational.

Which of these usages are okay?
_________________

As Ellie Draws - surreal sketches and characters.

John Cage wrote:

The first question I ask myself when something doesn't seem to be beautiful is why do I think it's not beautiful. And very shortly you discover that there is no reason.

[TheLonging]

Recreational if you're not intending to harm anyone or anything with it, medical if it's needed.
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I wanna thank you for letting me be myself.

NavyCherub wrote:

AshleyWilis wrote: hi for me Its something different... It seems like Full sound full combo... I mean It show passion and determination for my guitar Smoke weed erryday.

[TheLonging]

Recreational if you're not intending to harm anyone or anything with it, medical if it's needed.
_________________

I wanna thank you for letting me be myself.

NavyCherub wrote:

AshleyWilis wrote: hi for me Its something different... It seems like Full sound full combo... I mean It show passion and determination for my guitar Smoke weed erryday.

[IndestructibleSD]

The third situation is the only one which I have an issue with. Using a substance to fight off withdrawal symptoms from said substance is a dark road to travel. It never ends well.
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dbforthree, Expert Vocalist PS4

[IndestructibleSD]

The third situation is the only one which I have an issue with. Using a substance to fight off withdrawal symptoms from said substance is a dark road to travel. It never ends well.
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dbforthree, Expert Vocalist PS4

[googleimage]

[googleimage]

[TheLonging]

I want to respect the thread as well so I will not bring up legalization but all I can say to googleimage's first point is; ridiculous.

[TheLonging]

I want to respect the thread as well so I will not bring up legalization but all I can say to googleimage's first point is; ridiculous.

[PiemanLK]

[PiemanLK]

[googleimage]

Nausea vs. suicide. They must be equal, of course.
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Hey, Lindsay Lohan - "drink Canada Dry" is a slogan, not a dare!

[googleimage]

Nausea vs. suicide. They must be equal, of course.
_________________

Hey, Lindsay Lohan - "drink Canada Dry" is a slogan, not a dare!

[googleimage]

[googleimage]

[TheLonging]

[TheLonging]

[PiemanLK]

[PiemanLK]

[googleimage]

[googleimage]

[GuitarHailz]

All four are "okay." As in, non-dangerous to others and not (assuming this is in a country when it's legal) "morally" wrong.

As for which ones I agree with? Well I'm in the same boat that case 3 is the "worst." But of course this is a textbook case of blame the sin, not the sinner. The nature of such substances is that they are so addictive beyond our control (I know of so many people who hate the taste of beer but still drink to get drunk for a multitude of reasons). Addictive drugs target the most primal part of your brain, so to blame someone who is truly addicted is just ridiculous - when the addiction is bad enough, trying to "quit" whatever it is might as well be in the same vein as trying to stop eating or sleeping or other basic functions. It's a tragic case, but again, unless we go deep into this hypothetical addiction, it's not explicitly hurting others or doing anything illegal.

The others are fine, although the first case worries me (not to the extent that it did googleimage) but that's just because it is assumed the suicidal/depressed person is only taking drugs to feel better and otherwise doing nothing. Medicine can do a lot to help, but depending ONLY on medicine and not trying to better one's life is pretty dumb too. My psychology professor always told us that if you keep doing what you're doing you'll keep getting what you're getting... so yes, you can take a drug that sends out all the right chemicals to make you happy, but once the drug wears off, if you haven't considered the part of your life and what made you so depressed in the first place, it's really just a band-aid fix. That's why people who just take a pill to solve their problems and never go to counseling or otherwise explore their problems are foolish to me.

And to counter TL, I don't think it's comparable to talk about the use of drugs to treat depression next to the use of drugs to treat physical pain, such as with cancer. I definitely support the use of drugs for either thing, though. I can say this having taken multiple anti-depressants in my life and while they worked temporarily, I never stayed happy long-term until I addressed the real problem. Which is what I imagine googleimage is trying to say, albeit a lot harsher.
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[GuitarHailz]

All four are "okay." As in, non-dangerous to others and not (assuming this is in a country when it's legal) "morally" wrong.

As for which ones I agree with? Well I'm in the same boat that case 3 is the "worst." But of course this is a textbook case of blame the sin, not the sinner. The nature of such substances is that they are so addictive beyond our control (I know of so many people who hate the taste of beer but still drink to get drunk for a multitude of reasons). Addictive drugs target the most primal part of your brain, so to blame someone who is truly addicted is just ridiculous - when the addiction is bad enough, trying to "quit" whatever it is might as well be in the same vein as trying to stop eating or sleeping or other basic functions. It's a tragic case, but again, unless we go deep into this hypothetical addiction, it's not explicitly hurting others or doing anything illegal.

The others are fine, although the first case worries me (not to the extent that it did googleimage) but that's just because it is assumed the suicidal/depressed person is only taking drugs to feel better and otherwise doing nothing. Medicine can do a lot to help, but depending ONLY on medicine and not trying to better one's life is pretty dumb too. My psychology professor always told us that if you keep doing what you're doing you'll keep getting what you're getting... so yes, you can take a drug that sends out all the right chemicals to make you happy, but once the drug wears off, if you haven't considered the part of your life and what made you so depressed in the first place, it's really just a band-aid fix. That's why people who just take a pill to solve their problems and never go to counseling or otherwise explore their problems are foolish to me.

And to counter TL, I don't think it's comparable to talk about the use of drugs to treat depression next to the use of drugs to treat physical pain, such as with cancer. I definitely support the use of drugs for either thing, though. I can say this having taken multiple anti-depressants in my life and while they worked temporarily, I never stayed happy long-term until I addressed the real problem. Which is what I imagine googleimage is trying to say, albeit a lot harsher.
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[NavyCherub]

Were all the "medicinal" purposes prescribed by an actual doctor? This is the only thing that bothers me, as I've known too many people who decided to take medicine into their own hands and had bad results follow, even when it seemed like they knew what they were doing.
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[NavyCherub]

Were all the "medicinal" purposes prescribed by an actual doctor? This is the only thing that bothers me, as I've known too many people who decided to take medicine into their own hands and had bad results follow, even when it seemed like they knew what they were doing.
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[Eastwinn]

The reason I forbid legalization talk is because we've already had a thread on marijuana legalization. If you want to have a thread about drug legalization in general then make it

I like to think of my antidepressant and mood stabilizer as safety nets. It's difficult for me to get by and be happy as well as physically healthy, so I use the medication to keep me in my bounds. It is a little disheartening to know that I dependent on these medications to feel even the least bit normal, and that I am physically dependent on one of them. Therapeutic techniques never did me much good so I've put my trust in ever increasing doses of medications. As morbid as this sounds, I can appreciate my pills when I consider that the chances that I'd still be alive without them are slim.

Just BTW, even though I am speaking about the issue from a personal perspective, I will not take any criticisms personally and I will not be offended. I'm just not that kind of guy.

NavyCherub: For the purpose of this discussion, the first example will be directed by a doctor, and the last example will not necessarily be.
_________________

As Ellie Draws - surreal sketches and characters.

John Cage wrote:

The first question I ask myself when something doesn't seem to be beautiful is why do I think it's not beautiful. And very shortly you discover that there is no reason.

[Eastwinn]

The reason I forbid legalization talk is because we've already had a thread on marijuana legalization. If you want to have a thread about drug legalization in general then make it

I like to think of my antidepressant and mood stabilizer as safety nets. It's difficult for me to get by and be happy as well as physically healthy, so I use the medication to keep me in my bounds. It is a little disheartening to know that I dependent on these medications to feel even the least bit normal, and that I am physically dependent on one of them. Therapeutic techniques never did me much good so I've put my trust in ever increasing doses of medications. As morbid as this sounds, I can appreciate my pills when I consider that the chances that I'd still be alive without them are slim.

Just BTW, even though I am speaking about the issue from a personal perspective, I will not take any criticisms personally and I will not be offended. I'm just not that kind of guy.

NavyCherub: For the purpose of this discussion, the first example will be directed by a doctor, and the last example will not necessarily be.
_________________

As Ellie Draws - surreal sketches and characters.

John Cage wrote:

The first question I ask myself when something doesn't seem to be beautiful is why do I think it's not beautiful. And very shortly you discover that there is no reason.

[NavyCherub]

[NavyCherub]