dingo dave said:
I guess the issues would be the mental anguish cuased by the fact that you know you are dependent on foreign substance to make it through the day.
Wow, that's kind of a loaded question. I take some form of opiate pretty much every day. Am I DEPENDENT on it to make it through my day? Hell no. I'm enjoy my life a LOT. In addition to having a secure, reliable source, I'm very successful (Great career, sweet ride, big house, etc.), I have everything I've ever dreamed of, and every day it just gets better.
A lot of people think that opiates are used to make a bad life better. And I'm sure there are a fair share of cases where that's true. But in my case, I use opiates to make a GREAT life better.
I kind of liken it to, when you're at a party - People are generally pretty happy. Hanging out with friends, shooting the shit, etc. Are they drinking/smoking out because they're not having a good time? Because they're trying to find some way to make it through the party? No. They're looking for a way to make the party even BETTER. And that's the way I look at opiates.
Every once in a while I stop for a week or two just to make sure I'm able to, etc. But as long as it's providing me with discernable benefits, and few if any negative side-effects, I'm sticking with it.
(And I was "dependent on a foreign substance to make it through the day" before I even heard of opiates. It's called caffeine, and I have my doubts as to whether or not I could have made it through my day with out it.

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