Many, many people took recreational drugs in the 90s. Where are they now?

[perhapsiwill]

I'm not a drug addict and none of my friends were at the time, we just took Es at the weekend, sometimes other drugs. We all went to work or college, seemed like everyone else did this too. We had a great time, weekends were for dancing and hugging, I didn't get on with drunk people and one night stands and it suited me much better.
I moved away from where I grew up, nice area to another nice area.
When I mention partying in my youth to other mums where I live now, they look at me as if I'm an addict who needs help .
Are they all pretending? There were thousands of us doing this so where are they now? And why do people who never took drugs appear to feel so morally superior? One of the women where I live openly talks about cheating the system financially yet looks at me like I'm scum because I went out and had fun 20 years ago. (And probably once a year now!) I feel that because I mentioned this one evening in a pub I have alienated myself from the local mums.

Borrowed Heart

Yes it can cause issues (that can reverse themselves after using has stopped) yes, the psychosis can end. The symptoms can be treated. The mental illness it triggered, however is not reversible.

In fact I still do, everyday. Why? Because it helps me relax in my otherwise extremely stressful life. Funny enough my child has a lot of involvement from outside adults such as social workers (not so much anymore) nurses, doctors, experts etc and guess what, none of them know I smoke and I am constantly being told what a great job I am doing😂

Yeah, everyday. Not a problem. Of course 🙄

Weed, according to you, should be making me crazy when In fact it's doing the opposite 😂😂

Good for you, that you need it to keep sane. Because mental illness is SO funny

For the record - it doesn't trigger mental illness in everybody. But have the misfortune of that experience. It's not so fucking harmless.

Completely agree with Buddy.

My DD's had her life ripped apart for the second time is six months over her dad's cannabis addiction.

I actually don't judge users, god knows I've had too many issues myself to do that but I hate the "it's harmless" crap. It is not.

Buddy, when you have gone through what I have and depression tablets don't help neither do the anxiety ones and you physically can't get out of bed and can't get to sleep on a night, I used to take my tablets everyday, kept getting chest pains my dose has been changed as have the tablets so I stopped them and just smoke the weed now.

UK guidelines on alcohol use make it clear there is NO safe limit of alcohol use when it comes to increasing the risk of numerous cancers.

The recommended guidelines of 14 units per week for men and women is designed to reduce, not eradicate harm. Millions of people who are considered 'moderate' drinkers drink more than this every week.

It is available 24/7 in many areas, cheaply and 'over the counter'. Advertised widely on TV and in other media....

My life is and has been hard, watching your child almost dying every day, hence my username she only has borrowed time. I want to be happy and play with my kids and make memories and the weed helps me to do that, otherwise I'm constantly thinking of what if she does tomorrow what if the heart fails at her next appointment etc. With the weed I can get on with my day a little less scared and more happy. If it don't work for you or you don't like it etc that's ok but do not judge people that use it. Oh and in other countries it is used medicinally so obviously it does work I just don't have the luxury of popping to the corner shop, at the moment it's illegal but one day it won't be and then I can say to everyone what I have managed to do while on it knowing that my kids won't be taken.

Borrowed. I started with diazepam as my son died. It didn't help in the long run, it just put the pain on hold till I stopped taking them.

Like I said I don't judge addiction but I think one day you might look back and regret using weed to numb yourself.

I'm sorry to hear of your DDs problems Borrowed.

I don't judge users/addicts. No user is in my experience living in the Waltons family as I said upthread. I certainly advocate for and believe it would be lovely if some of these drugs were being used under medical supervision in this country because no doubt they can have benefits for some people. For me countless prescribed drugs have not helped a medical condition I have. I'd like the opportunity to try a medically proven monitored and regulated substance as much as the next person. But I won't start assuming it's harmless and worth gambling with until it's my only choice to function (as addicts find)

I DO judge the hypocritical attitudes towards substances for purely recreational use. For pleasure as in "aren't I hip, look what I did/do? Pearl clutchers if you disagree"

I DO judge the hypocritical attitudes towards substances for purely recreational use. For pleasure as in "aren't I hip, look what I did/do? Pearl clutchers if you disagree"

Buddy I think its very clear you have very little understanding of substance misuse. With regulation the risk of taking certain drugs would be less than negligible.

Why else would people taking recreational drugs other than for pleasure? I certainly don't in order to tell other people or to prove my 'hipness'. I take it for fun, nothing else.

My view on cannabis has changed significantly in the last 20 years, as has the drug.
Wouldn't touch the stuff now. I see too much harm through my job.
I don't think that's hypocritical or hysterical. It's a combination of changing circumstances and growing up.

Why else would people be taking them?

To function.

You know. The ones who get shunned in society for being drug addicts.

It's mad how people are horrified at the idea of me stopping lithium (even though it sent my thyroid utterly crazily overactive and has started to impair kidney function) and olanzapine (fried my brain) and possibly are quite numbing but very occasional use of psychedelics MDMA etc is BAD (even though have used fascinating insights from these to take better care of myself and other living things). Essentially it's all the same, the use of something to alter your mood and thinking and perceptions.

Thank you, I did used to take it "just for fun" but deep down it's just turned into something to help me cope. I've tried tablets from doctors and nothing's work but this seems to, I don't smoke it how I used to as I have kids and I'm lucky that my partner was and is a smoker so he understands. If I really want to get a strong high, he won't so he can be alert for he kids and vice versa. I do believe it can be misused as can any drug, I'm waiting for the day it's legal and someone can figure out how much I would need to still function yet feel calm. As at the moment it's a case of get what we can and the strength varies and everyone and again it hits me too hard. I can honestly say though when taken sensibility I can still function, I've changed a trachi, passed an my tube, sorted out a ventilator even stopped my child from choking all while stoned. It's not as bad as some people think.

I could never take diazepam, my daughter was on that for so long and she just didn't seem 'right' while on it, I'm sorry you lost your son, I can only imagine how that must feel 😔

Oh yes, Olanzapine which has given thousands of people diabetes and metabolic disorders.

It also shrunk the brains of primates in Eli Lilly's own study which they tried to suppress (they were hoping to show how much better it was than I think chlorpromazine or maybe haloperidol but whoops)

*Why else would people be taking them?

To function. *

Sorry I misunderstood you. I thought you were saying that drugs couldn't be taken purely for fun which I now know you aren't.

But have made a massive assumption that I am being hypocritical or feel somehow superior to those who are addicted. This couldn't be further from the truth (not sure if you've read the entire thread but I actually work in the field).

Apparently 20% of soldiers in the Vietnam war took heroin to cope in the circumstances. The powers that be were worried that they would all turn into addicts, but only 5% remained dependent.
It seemed that moving back to a place of safety where family and friends were there meant they didn't see a use for it.
I really dont like how we shun drug addicts as a society which is exactly that they don't need!

Borrowed thank you, I'm sorry you have gone and are going through so much with your DD

Somewhere up thread was mentioned of mdma being used for therapy. I'll never forget the night DH had some and then opened up to our closest friends about his abusive childhood. It brought us all so much closer to each other and really helped DH, I think it was a relief to tell people and feel overwhelming love back, rather than shame.

Someone up thread also questioned whether the feelings and experiences on drugs are real. To which I say, define real.
I've spent quite a bit of time wondering the same thing, but what I keep coming back to is, what is reality? How do we know what is real?

In answer to that question upthread - in my personal opinion, it unlocks a part of your brain that otherwise is shut off, maybe that's through conditioning etc. Obviously it lowers inhibitions, but in my experience, it's only for good. I have never seen anyone taking ecstasy/MDMA be or feel anything other than loving and kind towards others. No aggression, no violence. Shame the same cannot be said for alcohol.

And I can understand why it isn't classed as 'real' - but rather than it being false, it seems to me that it's more an altered state of consciousness.

Borrowedheart, I'm sorry that sounds so hard. I think we all do things to get us through x

cloud I can see if you are a bit of an uptight person you might think lowering inhibitions is good however I really don't think my inhibition needs lowering!

It's real if you experience it, the same as any experience I guess. No one else experienced the extreme euphoria that I got giving birth but it doesn't make it less real.

I have never seen anyone taking ecstasy/MDMA be or feel anything other than loving and kind towards others. No aggression, no violence.

This. I've heard from police first hand at a well known festival that they turn a blind to drug taking as a high crowd is much easier to manage than a drunk one.

I also think making a distinction between what's real and what's not is a dangerous one. Are we saying what people experience, say, on anti-depressants isn't real/valid?

Regarding lowering inhibitions, maybe. But I know I'm 100% more in control having taken something than when I drink.

I can also say that A and E would be a lot quieter without alcohol.