one point that this article sort of glazes over that most people diddnt point out, is how a
real experienced user shows his 'experience.' Most people think doing half a ball, or IVing 2-3 bags at once, or popping 9 pills, or eating 10 hits etc, etc, is a symbol of experience. This is a very simple psychology: people think that the ability to wontonly intake hard drugs makes them appear stronger in willpower and endurance, and therefore they should be given respect. Its a very childish mentality - trying to outdo others to gain respect and attention.
Unfortunately, drugs are very prevelant in counter-culture subcultures. Even more unfortunate, many of those subcultures form their backbone around rebelling against the orthodox rules and limitations of the norms of society, proving that one can exist outside the laws of mainstream culture, and being an all-around hardass. Throw the modern moral majority's view on drugs, how that view is dictated by the malignant entity known as "The Man," and the carefree, rebellious, wild, and adventerous lifestyle that drug use provides, and you form the attitude that is our topic of discussion. Everyone (whom uses drugs) is victim to this mentality at some point or another. People accept the ideal that drug use = freedom from conformity. People then accept the ideal that excessive drug use = some wild on the edge lifestyle that mainstream society could never offer. The more 'hardcore' you are, the more respect you have in this unique countercultuer that spans nearly all countercultures.
I believe that people with real experience know not only how to use responsibly in a recreational environment, but also know how to
get higher from lower doses. These people dont whore themselves out to a chemical in hopes of achieving some inkling of respect or pride,
nor do they depend on drugs to maintain a social image, maintain a stable mood, or maintain their lives. Physical health should preside over all other obligations when it comes to using drugs, especially those labeled as hard drugs. There are many ways to go about lowering physical tolerance, 'mental' tolerance is another world alltogether.
Now, not to mislead anyone without experience, but there is no way to ever lower one's tolerance to the day one first experienced a drug. Not possible. In fact, and especially true when considering hard drugs, physical tolerance will rise with each use, no matter how spread apart or low of a dose. These following suggestions will not cause you to regain your "drug-cherry," not even close. Hopefully, they will help your endurance level rise, and your tolerance level fall. How far that level falls is dictated by such a myriad of influences and relationships that one may wish to persue a degree in modern medicine to fully understand how our bodies react to these 'chemical magics.'
(none of these points have precedence over another)
First off,
excersize! Physical excersize will raise your endurance on so many levels. Your body will be able to break down and metabolize your drugs much more efficiently, and remove the byproducts (which cause so many health problems!) faster. Your heart will be stronger, your lungs will renew vitality faster, and your energy levels will rise (aiding in your drug experiences). Your resistance to most physical side effects will also rise. Cardiovascular excersizes as well as weightgaining excersizes are a great way to keep your body strong and your endurance at its maximum. Another great side effect of exersize is your body will
detoxify faster. The faster you remove all byproducts of whatever drug you took the night (few nights, days, weeks, etc) before, the faster your tolerance level will drop. Continue to use the same drug without letting your body first detox will send your tolerance level through the roof. Get your blood flowing and your sweat dripping. This may not be news to many people, but there are quite a few drug users out there that believe exersize is a waste of time.
Another great way to lower tolerance is ABSTINENCE. This may sound like the worst idea ever, but it is the most sensible. As mentioned above, continual use will cause your tolerance level to rise much faster. With many hard drugs, even a few days may not be enough (consider your priorities - getting high or taking care of your body). Naturally, each use will cause tolerance to rise somewhat (to a point where it can not be lowered), but the greater the length of time one spends between doses, the less of a dose one will need to achieve the desired effects the next time around. I also believe that takign long breaks in between hard drug use is the only way to reduce mental tolerance. Your psyche's reaction to a drug is always unpredictable, but to keep your mind stuck in utopian bliss and not wandering amidst the dredges of society (or perhaps from traversing into the deepest level of hell), abstaining for periods of time is your best option. Some would argue that experience allows one to control one's psyche and where it goes. This is true to an extent, however time (with constant use) will take a greater hold over one's mind.
A healthy diet also provides for better drug experiences. This ties in with excersize: your body will detox faster, gain more endurance, and handle shaky situations much better. You will feel more clear headed, and enjoy drugs much better than when taking them along with all the toxins present from an unhealthy diet.
Another point to remember is KNOWLEDGE. Information is probably your best weapon against an overdose, avoiding the side effects of long term use, avoiding the transition from recreational use to mental or physical dependencies, and keeping your head above water. Thats why we have this wonderful website. Thats why we have
www.erowid.org . Thats why we have a pleanty of other informational references on the world wide web. Knowing your physical limits, your mental limits, know as much as you possible can about what you are putting into your body (and street knowledge will not even come close to being enough), and know as well as you can, who/where it is coming from. Read how tolerance levels rise and fall, know the psychopharmacological relationships between the drug and your nervous system, know how healthy of a body you have and weather or not using a drug is going to hinder your situation, and read up on the drug's current legal situation!
These are really good things to consider before taking drugs. It may sound like motherly nagging, but focusing on your physical health will cause your tolerance levels to drop and your experiences to be more enjoyable. After watching several friends hit rock bottom, throw their lives away, end up in hospitals, or graves, ive often thought is a mere few hours of physical pleasure worth it? Are the long term effects worth it? What is it that causes us to use drugs? Can people use and stay purely on the recreational level? Do our residual self images cause us to push our doses up? Do they cause us to use more frequently? I think this is the path that starts people on dependency, and a self-image that one is a 'hardcore' user may indeed be a mental dependance. This is where the downward spiral starts. Who cares what people think, who cares what other people do - the true rebel doesnt give a fuck. The true rebel thinks they can cram respect up their asses.
It aint about how much drugs ya can do kid, its about how ya can stay on top and keep partyin...
So where on the hierarchy of the hardcore are you? Those who indulge at the gluttonous levels are nowhere near the top. Those who respect knowledge will be the ones who wonder how people let their lives get so fucked up from little tiny chemicals. Keep yourself at the recreational level!
Note: this was written free from the use of any mind altering chemical besides ramen noodles.