Is all recreational drug use 'pathological'?

[Harambulus]

I have really turned into quite the workaholic/ascetic these days. Pretty much the main criteria for allowing myself to feel happy is whether I achieve something or not. Now the perils of this are that when things don't go my way as they often dont in life I become extremely uptight and antsy.

I have my belief systems setup in such a way that I feel I always have to be doing something productive or Im wasting my life. I think to myself that I deserve to feel pain and like a failure if Im not a success as that will motivate me to work and I should only feel good if I have achieved my goals or am showing good progress towards them. As you can imagine this is a great recipe for stress but I have been too afraid to change for fear it may suck out my motivation.

In the past Ive loved the feeling of a dopamine high and also that I could get high whilst still being productive and so still partake in my productive activities -without feeling like I'd squandered my time on trifling recreational activity- whilst feeling like a champ.

My issue though is I think to myself 'is any kind of drug use a failure since it means admitting that I was unable to enjoy life without it'?

I also think to myself that taking drugs even occasionally is pointless since each time I take it means I encourage my brain to the feeling which in turn might make me want to take it more.

Conversely though I think to myself 'I hardly ever do things just for the sake of fun and I can enjoy drugs if taken in small doses so give myself a little enjoyment'. In another sense though I feel like a failure and berate myself for not being able to feel satisfied without drugs.

Thoughts? Im interested to see how others feel about it.

Im wondering if I could find a way to justify very occasional use to myself so that I could just enjoy them without giving myself a guilt trip or whether the guilt trip is justified and I just shouldnt take them at all. So I want to hear other people's opinions to see if it changes my own one way or the other.

 

[nAON]

bdd -> DC

 

[hthr007]

Im wondering if I could find a way to justify very occasional use to myself so that I could just enjoy them without giving myself a guilt trip or whether the guilt trip is justified and I just shouldnt take them at all. So I want to hear other people's opinions to see if it changes my own one way or the other.

I would not consider your "very occasional use" as failure. View it as a hobby or recreational activity. Ill use an example:

Some people have the hobby of working on cars, collecting coins, running, going to the gyms, fishing, etc. why do they have these hobbies or enjoy these activities? Because they are FUN; they make them happy and give them enjoyment. They allow them to wind down and de-stress from the day or from life's worries. Taking drugs can be likened to that.

Think of it this way too: say I've had a hard day at work. I come home, have a glass or two of wine to relax myself. Does this mean I can't cope with life's problems? Not necessarily. It's just a coping mechanism that I've chosen to use. The person standing next to me may have also had a bad day, so they run 5 miles to unwind. Does this mean they can't cope with life's problems? Absolutely not. This is similar to you. Does your occasional drug use mean you can't cope with lifes problems? I'm going to say no. It's your "hobby" so to speak. Your way to let go of worries.

It does not make you a failure just like running does not make someone a failure, collecting coins, etc. I doubt someone feels guilty after engaging jn the activities I've mentioned in my post. They are done because they are enjoyed.

Sorry if there is quite a bit of rambling, but my bottom line: enjoy! Don't feel guilty. Everyone has their vice and/or coping method, and occasional use of drugs just so happens to be yours. There's nothing wrong with that. Play it safe and enjoy

 

[Harambulus]

Yup thanks for input.

well in your examples if one was being a stickler (like i am :D) then it could be said that some of the examples are more healthy than others.

For instance long term I think it would be better just to run but being young it could also be said its acceptable to do drugs as well if you enjoy it and your healthy etc etc.

I like your analogies about coping mechanisms. Food for thought.

I think part of my problem was I had become such a workaholic in recent times that ANY form of recreation I was telling myself was a failure...that is until I almost break down with stress and have been forced to seek it out again :D.

 

[PeacePipeChief]

hey atleast u only feel sad when u dont accomplish shit ... i feel extremely depressed without intoxication (basically any kind) ... using drugs occasionally is normal , think of it as productive 'me' time , where ur having time to urself to reward urself ... i guess ?

 

[generic username]

Drugs can be compared to food. Some foods are healthier than others and the way they are prepared can make all the difference in how they can/will effect your body. Just like food, drugs can vastly improve one's quality of life or drastically reduce one's lifespan and leave you in poor health. Be smart about the choices you make and be informed about anything you put in to your body and your life will be happy and long.

Keep it in perspective and know when to say no to yourself and you will be perfectly fine. Willpower is the key my friend, you control the drugs not the other way around

 

[onepot]

Honestly, I think that a lot of what our society determines is a mental illness, is based on whether or not something is socially acceptable. For example, having bipolar disorder and having experienced low degrees of mania, I've occasionally been able to see those symptoms in other people. Usually it manifests itself as getting little sleep, putting insane amounts of work into inconsequential projects, and thinking you're always right. This could be considered a mental disorder. It's the flip side of depression after all. But because manic (or at least hypomanic) people can virtually always find a niche in society due to the insane amounts of work they're willing to do, we don't consider that a mental disorder, because they can function well enough in society.

Similarly, being obsessed with your work could be considered a mental disorder, but since society values people that are obsessed with their work, it doesn't see much point in changing it.

I went through a period of being obsessed with my work too. But when I look back on that time, my fondest memories are of the times where I pulled myself away from the computer and went out and had fun with my friends. I barely ever remember what I was working on at the time.