To think it's pathetic to take drugs on a night out ...

[Ashkey234]

She's 31 and until she met this new girl she never took drugs.
Now every time she goes out with her she takes Coke.
Every 30 minutes going to the toilet taking more.
I'm starting to dislike her because of it,I know that sounds awful but she's always jumping around after it,sweating,sniffing,bleeding nose and I just think she's Pathetic.
Both 31,she has 3 kids and I think your a mother and doing that.
I love a night out,cocktails etc but I'm honestly thinking of ending our friendship.
What's your opinions?

Why am I getting the impression that non drug users or posters who have never tried illegal drugs are being looked down upon?

I would like to know what percentage of coke users go on to become addicted to it compared to the percentage of people who drink alcohol who go on to become alcoholics.

If we are comparing illegal drugs to alcohol we need to have possession of the full facts.

Fruitcorner123

I know, that was my point.

Except that most of the people arguing with you don't use drugs.

We don't know that do we? Most will probably use alcohol some will use other drugs. Some won't. It's an anonymous site so we don't know who is arguing with the OP and what their motivation really is.

It sounds like the OP is right to be worried about her friend and angry that she has taken this up at such a time in her life when she has dependants. All the to-ing and fro-ing about alcohol vs other drugs misses the point that this particular drug user seems to have a problem.

Oh, MrsT-P, you are a patient lady, thank you. I have been educated by your replies and have softened my opinions having read this whole thread. Your replies have made a difference.

I am teetotal, mostly due to the fact that I have too much personal experience of the impact of alcohol addiction (father, ex-husband). Even with those experiences I still judged illegal drug use more harshly. I think being a teenager in the 80s (just say no!) definitely influenced my thinking.

My brother is an alcoholic, 20+ years sober through AA. He also did other illegal drugs at various points but never kept them up as they interfered with his beer drinking (his words). I always wondered if he had tried heroin before beer if he would have been addicted to that instead of alcohol. Is it something in the genetics that predisposed him to addiction in general or alcohol in particular?

You can sleep soundly OP, really?

Because it seems to me, at 11.10pm, that you seem to have worked yourself into a bit of a state.

Maybe you should have one of those 2 cocktails to calm yourself down...

She could be getting methadone for a cocodamol addiction which she started taking after a bad fall ..

A little off subject but I witnessed a woman with 2 toddlers and a 6 month ish baby in the chemist getting her methadone...
Is this ok too?

Sounds like a load of shit.

I once saw a woman drink a strawberry woo woo (wtf at that name btw? Talk about infantilising) from her toddlers bottle while she breastfed her new born. I SUPPOSE THAT WAS FINE WAS IT?!

You know I might actually have a cocktail ..good idea.
Thankfully my strawberry woo woo won't be laced with anything that could kill me ...what a relief eh.

The thing is... cocaine can kill you really easily. My brother died from taking a small amount of coke. He had done so on and off on nights out and had never had any adverse reactions until the night he just died. I really didn't believe it was that dangerous of a drug until this happened. I think one or 2 drinks is much safer than a line of coke.. I would not pass judgement.... But it is a serious risk for someone to take. I wonder if your friend realises quite how dangerous coke can be.

Once again, you aren't addicted because you are LUCKY. Well done you. When you talk to addicts about their drug of choice, be that alcohol or cocaine, they often talk about their first use. "Coming home" or "feeling right" or "peace" are the words they use. Because something in them and something about the drug of choice fits. In a really unhealthy and harmful way.

Thanks OP for giving people a chance to talk about drugs, addiction and harm. It actually is important to talk about it.

If people want to actually do something, maybe donate to a charity like AdFam or volunteer. Try not to enable the addicts in your life while not judging them. And keep yourself and the vulnerable people around them safe. Teach children about safe use and how to protect themselves and friends.

If you do nothing else, don't be an arsehole. Addiction is rotten.

Yeah miffer that was fine,all the Coke laced with horse worming medication probably rotted her brain so she thought that was standard practice!

You build alcohol dependency by keep drinking and drinking not by luck ...get a grip
I made a choice not to drink more than 2 drinks per month! Nothing to do with luck it's choice.
Just like people who take Coke choose to take more and more

I am teetotal, mostly due to the fact that I have too much personal experience of the impact of alcohol addiction (father, ex-husband). Even with those experiences I still judged illegal drug use more harshly. I think being a teenager in the 80s (just say no!) definitely influenced my thinking

That's interesting, I am teetotal for similar reasons (well that is part of it). I also don't take drugs. I get really angry at people treating illegal drugs as the devil while they make jokes about wine-o'clock etc. I can't help but feel the demonisation of illegal drugs feeds into the normalisation of alcohol.

I watched a lecture by Professor Nutt where he argued that any society that actively encourages alcohol use like ours does has a moral obligation to offer safer alternatives. That really resonated with me.

Sthil

MrsTP are you able to shed any light on what percentage of coke users go on to become addicts compared to the percentage of people who drink alcohol who go on to become alcoholics?

I was at a bbq last month and there was a thirty seven year old pregnant mother of two snorting coke and drinking wine.

I didn't get involved when I thought she was just having a couple of glasses of wine but when the coke came out I called her a cunt and left.

If i knew her details I'd have reported her to SS.

I say this as someone who has taken most drugs in the 00's.

Fucking disgusting. Her poor, poor baby.

for those who have lost people.

Is it something in the genetics that predisposed him to addiction in general or alcohol in particular? My experience is that the same kind of experiences lead to alcohol and heroin use. They are both depressant painkillers. People with pain use them. Often that is actual pain, more often it is pain from abuse or bereavement in childhood. There appear to be genetic predispositions as well. If his dad was an alcoholic that could be both genetic and childhood reasons.

And OP if you think addiction is a choice; you're a blithering idiot. Happy to be reported for that. It is a personal attack.

It's always annoying when a friend develops an annoying habit...this can be just constantly chasing men, looking down on people, being generally rude.....goodness, it can be anything, but it's worth having a chat about it and the reasons why.

If she's insistent that she wants to continue doing Coke then that'll suggest your values change and you might drift apart. If the friendship is worth it, make the effort when she's not doing it, so you can continue to enjoy your relationship.

Re: the Coke/drugs V alcohol debate...it's a very aggravating conversation to have. Whilst alcohol is addictive and causes huge social problems, many people drink occasionally, and other than a sore head the next have no lasting problems or dependency! I've been drinking for years and have never committed a crime, been involved with police, had a fight, left myself in a vulnerable position, or caused any problems for others...not always the case. I just have a giggle and boogie, and then get some chips and go home 😇

I know a pothead who proclaim that there's nothing wrong with cannabis and/or drugs yet cannot see that they have turned into a horrible, volatile aggressive individual who cannot deal with real life emotions as he's usually stoned, and now struggles with depression and mental health problems...but it's definitely not the drugs that caused it 😳

Each to their own really, and despite the substance, it's all down to the individual and how they are using it.

Ashkey... I think you are over simplifying how someone becomes addicted... It may be a choice, but all kinds of life circumstances and genetic vulnerabilities play into the choices people make and their ability to make safe choices.

What is choosing to drink and drink if it's not a choice then?

MrsTP are you able to shed any light on what percentage of coke users go on to become addicts compared to the percentage of people who drink alcohol who go on to become alcoholics? I don't. It would be really interesting though if anyone knows.

My suspicion is that they are too co-morbid to make any sense though. I've never met a cocaine addict that didn't have problematic alcohol use as well.

Drug law, racism. Omfg.

I found this... No idea how accurate it is. Business Insider.

Thank you. So the two legal drugs have the highest percentage of users who become addicted. It kind of puts the kybosh on the legalising drugs argument, unless you can prove there is no correlation.

Drug law, racism. Omfg

Problem?