Why is there such a stigma for using drugs to "do something constructively"?

[cowardescent]

Why is there such a stigma for using drugs to "do something constructively"?

I'm a relatively young guy who used to be fairly anti-drugs (even alcohol) but have since changed due to some life issues

Among the most drug-friendly people I hang out with, some of them seem to look down/abhor the idea that on the weekends, I drink before certain tasks to "increase motivation". I don't get wasted and looking at it, if I have an addiction, I honestly don't believe it's at the level that would warrant concern. Never assualted anyone physically and/or sexually, don't harrass my parents or people verbally in public and in general keep quiter than when I'm not drinking.

It may have to do with the fact that I have some suicidal ideation and agression when I'm sober but I still control both of those when sober just fine though I constantly have racing thoughts

As a matter of fact, I really don't like drinking or smoking (only smoked a pack months ago) as they make me feel quite sick but it's just for when I need that extra motivation to clean the house, play the piano (inb4 alcohol reduces co-ordination. sedates my mind) etc..

I don't look at people who use drugs purely for a recreational puprose as that's silly so long as they're not harming others or myself but I find it interesting that some people believe using drugs for a constructive task is either impossible (many people seem to brlievr that drugs can only make your cognitive skills go down) or creates a dependance and makes you worse at the task when sober in the long run.

What do you guys think?

 

[SheWasLvL18]

I don't think it makes you worse at the task but I think it does make a bad habit because even though it's not a heavy reliance, it's still a reliance on something outside of yourself to accomplish something you could do without. It's not that everyone who uses a drug for this "constructive purpose" will become dependent, but that for those who do become dependent, it's often a factor in their dependence, I believe.

 

[cyberius]

It's inhuman. Taking chemicals to do a task will fail you when one day your chemicals run out and your sober consciousness has atrophied

I can't do x because y so I'll alter my brain chemistry with z to get an unnatural advantage.

 

[JessFR]

It's inhuman. Taking chemicals to do a task will fail you when one day your chemicals run out and your sober consciousness has atrophied

I can't do x because y so I'll alter my brain chemistry with z to get an unnatural advantage.

No its the other way around its completely human.

There's nothing innately wrong about using drugs to help with activities provided they aren't used for cheating competitively. The only problem is when your use becomes destructive.

And that destruction can be and often is entirely self destructive, but it's still destructive.

It all depends on the person and the individual circumstances, but usually the problem is that in the long term if you use to feel better about something it frequently becomes destructive even if it didn't start that way.

This thread reminds me of a story I heard some time ago. I don't know for sure if it's true, but it is known that mathematician Paul Erdos was a significant amphetamine user.

Supposedly a friend once expressed concern, and so to prove he wasn't an addict Erdos didn't use amphetamines for a month.

And supposedly after that month, he goes to his friend and says something along the lines of "see? I can stop, but I didn't get any work done. You just set mathematics back by a month!"

Funny story.

 

[Tubbs]

Thomas Edison was a fan of "vin mariani" which was a wine containing cocaine. And you're correct jess Paul erdos was a self admitted amphetamine user. John c. Lilly was a neuroscientist who made major breakthroughs on electronic brain stimulation, he was an avid psychonaut

 

[MDPV_Psychosis]

I would agree that it's quite human to use drugs to help with tasks and whatever. We've been drinking alcohol for a LONG time... Stimulant plants have been chewed, brewed, smoked for assistance in mundane tasks for ages.
Psychedelics have been used in spirtual exploration for a long time as well.

I didnt had a problem using drugs to assist me with tasks. It only became a problem when I started relying on drugs every second of every day just to get me through living.

Was a hard road to travel. Lots of pain for me and close friends and loved ones. I never completely quit though despite the hell I put myself through. Instead Im just relearning how to once again use drugs as a tool instead of hopelessly relying on them as a permanent crutch.

 

[4meSM]

It's just a cultural thing, every society has its drugs of choice, most people use some kind a drug at the very least once a week and it has always been that way.
For example, in western countries very few people will look down on you for smoking a cigarette or having a cup of coffee to start your day. Same thing with coffee/smoke brakes when people consume caffeine and nicotine to stay focus and productive.
Some people will look down on you if you drink a glass of wine in the morning and at the same time you're expected to get drunk with your coworkers/friends in the afternoon, each drug has its time and place depending on where you live.
I think one of the main reasons is that humans like to have a schedule, everything outside the norm is viewed as foreign and potentially dangerous/unpredictable.

 

[JessFR]

Ehhh, it's changing. Australia's a western country and smoking is fast becoming quite socially unacceptable.

 

[Mycophile]

Yeah I think about this a lot.

Of course I see no reason people shouldn't be allowed to enjoy whatever drug they want recreationally but I think the best drug use is to try to use them productively, whereas I've heard others say they think that is somehow wrong and that drugs should only be used for recreation which I don't really understand.

The problem, as everyone has mentioned, is feeling you NEED a substance to be productive, because unless it is the perfect substance with so few side effects that you can take it whenever you want (and I don't think there is such a thing, even weed or caffeine) then sooner or later it will bite you in the ass when you have to go without it and suddenly feel like you can't be productive because you don't have your crutch.

I often think if I could be on Kratom my entire life I could do just about anything, but I never dose more than 3 times a week because then I get withdrawal and end up LESS productive so overdoing it that much doesn't work for me.

I also feel I can be much more productive on Adderall and have thought of getting a prescription for that reason but I'm afraid of how to go about asking my doctor because he already gives me Klonopin and I feel I need to be super careful of what I say because I don't want to get cut off of that...not that he PROBABLY would if I asked for Adderall, most likely he'd just deny me Adderall and keep prescribing me Klonopin, but nevertheless I've been reluctant to try.

I feel like maybe in my opinion if I can make myself do things I need to do while sober about 75% of the time then the other 25% of the time it's fine to be on something to give me the extra motivation.

When I used to write like 20 page essays in college, if I was say, writing 10 pages in one day, I'd tell myself I had to write the first 3 pages sober, then after 3 pages I could reward myself with a hit of weed, then another 2 pages another hit...and that reward helped me write a lot of papers.

But now that I think about it, even though I usually got As and Bs, I wonder if someone with a keener eye could have perceived that I was getting progressively higher as my paper went on HAHAHAHA.