Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselling Thread

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Instead of flat-out saying "You're wrong!" and giving half of the research on it, I'll state that I've seen research that goes both ways. Didn't look too in-depth, so I can't really say I know which side is more accurate. I did see a study saying that, while smoking marijuana alone did not show a significant increase in risk for cancer, smoking it and cigs did not have the same "benefit."

I've also been in chemistry labs for four of the past five years for classes. Didn't pay much heed to the TAs saying "WEAR GLOVES." Even when I did, let me tell you, sticking a gloved hand in a base bath and realizing there's a hole in it, wasn't much fun. Lots of stuff in the labs that could cause cancer, or worse.

Past that, I smoke about a pack of cigs a day already. I'm aware of the cancer risk of smoking, well, anything. At this point, don't much care. As for other risks, psychological addiction (though some say that's not the case) I'm aware of. Memory problems: aware of. Past that, I haven't noticed any. I have noticed benefits for myself. (Key there is myself, I'm not recommending it to anyone to treat any problems, it has helped me through some rough spots, such as last week's events.)

edit: thought of something else important to add.

If someone decides to use any substance, legal or otherwise, they should have a good understanding of the effects and the risks involved.

It is hard to give up alcohol when at times it makes me think far more clearly than "normal." Sure, that sounds like complete and utter BS to the casual bystander, but, well, knowing there's no way of convincing anyone else that it is the case (on occasion, not always, believe me at times I just become the childish, belligerent drunk...) so all I can do is say that it is the case.

I'm rather intoxicated right now, but at the same time, it is almost like an extreme form of focus. Something I felt at times while high, though I've given smoking up for now, because I need a job, and because I need to get away from substances. That being said, alcohol...given the "right" circumstances, does some really nasty things to me. Stuff some might see as a benefit, right now I just see it as a burden. A very interesting burden.

I heard the same thing about amphetamines and Paul Erdos....




Have you ever tried pro help, like Alcoholics Anonymous? Or do you not consider yourself that far down that path? (This is a serious question, it's not meant to be demeaning)

I'm not to that point yet. i at times abuse it, but I'm far from needing it, nowhere near on a daily basis. When I drink, it tends to be a great deal. Not always, but frequently.

At times, I do feel like I need a drink, but that's something based upon my mood and recent events from the day.

Do you think you've been addicted to the substances you've partaken in, or more the need for an 'altered state' - the tool (substance) used is less important than the desired outcome of alleviation of current 'reality'?

On the Renyi quote about Erdos using amphetamines, I can easily believe that. I've heard alot about how meth helps your focus and energy. On that note, I'll say that I have never used any stimulant other than caffiene and adderall (which I noticed absolutely NO effect from...even 2 pills at once, or snorting them). But where my fiance is from, meth is a HUGE problem and it's in the news every day. It's scary that 2 hours south of here meth labs are exploding or being raided every day, and up here they're not even in the news...yet. But I'm extremely paranoid about the drug...it ruins lives, plain and simple...

I wish I could stop worrying about her doing it, but she's done it before, and her mom does it regularly. I confronted her about it once and she responded something like, "well if you knew what the buzz was like you would like it too." Thats why I have such a hard time trusting her...plus, I hate her mom, she's always been a f*****g mess... Sometimes I think I'm in over my head with this relationship, but I love my girl more than anything I've ever come across in my life... she swears up and down that she doesn't do it, but it's not like she would tell me if she did.

Sorry if any of this didn't make sense; I started looking at this thread because I'm drunk as frok but this is too relevant to ignore.

Very true. I've found long ago, however, weed gives me alot less trouble than alcohol. But I don't want to do any drugs... it's so depressing... but it seemed like I never 'functioned' properly until I started smoking pot. That post wasnt directed to me but i'll butt in since i'm an as*hole (hey, check out that pun, huh?). Now that I cant get high, i've been drinking, but I seem like a meaner person altogether.

Hadn't ever really looked at it that way. I think it is more the altered state than the substance a lot of the time. Marijuana...I think I was addicted. I got to the point where the type of altered state that could be obtained, at least for a couple specific strains, became so much more desirable than my "baseline" that I would have preferred being stoned 24/7. Alcohol, it is more of an escape. Rough day (not just long, or hard, or strenuous, but psychologically taxing) and there's always alcohol to get me "out of there" for a couple hours.

If it is a really rough day, drink myself to sleep. Doing better with that. Staying away from liquor as best as I can, I've realized that with beer I pace myself, or at the least I have an internal pacing mechanism. Liquor...no. Probably had ten or eleven beers on Wednesday. Spent a lot of money at that place. Still, the worst I got was "drunk," where standing and coordination were a bit effected, and likely my speech, but I wasn't "wasted." Liquor, last Sunday I drank a six-pack, then switched to liquor, sitting in my kitchen mixing brandy and coffee and drinking a cup until 7:30 in the morning, when my brain finally gave out (even with the caffeine) and I passed out. When I woke up, I shuffled to bed, knowing I needed to sleep.

I wouldn't say I'm addicted to alcohol, but I have issues with overconsumption of liquor. Excess with all types, but severe excess with liquor.

Hi everyone, I dont get onto this site as often as i like, so may not be able to respond straight away but i live in UK and work at a drug and alcohol centre as a drug worker.

If i can give anyone any info or direct them to good websites please let me know and i will try and help all I can.

Fiona

I sort of don't want to do it, but I'll say it anyway.
I get drunk about twice a week, and I get so drunk I black out.
I steal my dad's Xanax and Vicodin to get high on. I take about 4 of each, and I go to school high.
I abuse cough medicine with DXM in it. Almost every schoolday, and I take about 450-600mg of DXM.
I smoke cigarettes now, and I am getting addicted to them. I go through about a pack and a half a week.
I smoke marijuana about two or three times a week.


I don't really want to do this stuff anymore to make me feel better.

Well, I never did any of that and I never will. But you know, it WILL make you feel better to stop doing that stuff. Besides, I was once in love with a suicidal girl who was smoking marijuana and taking pills. The only problem was that she changed completely after we went to homecoming.

There are no toxic substances. Just toxic levels, and as we all learned from Britney Spears, love can be toxic as well. Plus everyone needs his vices, unless he is to be a monk. That is not the life for me.

I, for one, do not believe in the strict antagonism of substances. I have felt self-medicating myself with marijuana to be more effective than any pharmeceutical prescription, and I also have come to many spiritual revelations while on mushrooms and peyote. (And that is no joke. The mind actually achieves states of focus [google 'Focus 10'] and different wave patterns associated with mystical experiences and spiritual ecstasy. The shamanic tradition is no f**king joke.) But psychedelics are not the truth, just a path to the truth, just like religion is not the light, we are just following in the divine light of the enlightened leaders of each religion.

And of course, alcohol is the social lubricant. Only AS'ers can fully understand the value of that.

The mind ultimately has power over the drug. I continue to periodically sniff cocaine when it's offered. It is a weakness of mine. You know, when you see it on the table, so white and sparkly, it's just so good! But so full of power to destroy.

But what you must master is yourself. Cocaine and heroin only possess you when you give away the right to own your own decisions. When you are in the right frame of mind with proper judgement of right and moderate and wrong and self-revelling, which is a challenge of Asperger's and therefore an ultimate goal, you will no longer want to worship such idols. For all you agnostics, I hate to put it like that, but it's true. Being able to step outside of the addiction allows you to make a decision unaffected by such desires.

Different strokes for different folks, though.
I for one am a proud stoner, and I drink enough whiskey to move a battleship around.

And I urge everyone, especially those affected by such pervasive developmental disorders, to go eat some mushrooms and find their place in the system. But enter with caution, the doors of perception cannot be closed once opened, and the search for truth is not for everyone.

Been there, done that. I have never partaken of any illicit substances, but all I needed to open my doors of perception was to come off my antidepressants. Hoo boy, now that went badly. I'm still sane, but also having said sanity corroded, minutely, by impending oblivion.

You right. There are many other ways to open the doors. I have had just as mystical/metaphysical/spiritual experiences cold sober, chiefly in social settings, and very readily when music is involved.
Music is a driving force in my life, as I can see in other Aspies I have known. It gives us a manifestation of the feelings that we try so hard to understand and convey. And performance allows us to connect with others and align our rhythms and thoughts with everyone that can hear. Very powerful, especially for us head-hermits.

-philip w holland

I so totally relate to that. You worded it very well.

This has always been the case for me, but during my substance "binge" (either alcohol or marijuana almost nightly) it was more so. I fell out of it. I just felt disconnected from feeling for a while.

Now that I'm drunk, I can't stop thinking about / wanting to hear music.

Coffee and everclear seemed like a great idea. It hasn't slowed me down mentally, and clearly I'm typing better, but it has messed with me a bit.

People say they're concerned when I drink alone, thinking I may be an alcoholic. Is it so wrong to drink alone when you would prefer that over drinking with others? I don't like being around people all that much. I do like drinking on occasion. Is that so bad?

I would definitely consider it more acceptable for an individual with Asperger's syndrome to drink alone as opposed to someone who is neurotypical. It is our nature.

But I also need that social lubrication. I don't secrete it very well on my own

-philipwholland