Time To Stop Accepting Mind Alteration?

[andy-hughes]

I have been considering the effects of drugs - all drugs - and the reason people use them.

The conclusion I have reached is that every single person who uses any kind of drug - tobacco, cannabis, alcohol, cocaine, heroin, does so in pursuit of a level of mind alteration.

Only the amount consumed, and the desired effect vary, the initial reason is identical throughout - to alter the mind's perception of the present.

Now this can vary from a glass or two of wine at the end of the day, or at a party, or a cigarette to 'calm the nerves' right through to the desired temporary oblivion of a large dose of heroin.

Of course, as a culture, we have absorbed the first examples as simply cultural norms, accepted and even encouraged, less so the last one which remains illegal.

But my point is, the subliminal desire to alter the mind to whatever degree is present in all of them.

Now the first argument would be - 'I drink because I enjoy the taste ...'.

Fine, then you can drink non-alcoholic wine or beer and not notice any difference can't you.

But no, we persist with 'acceptable' drugs because we, as a culture, accept that mind alteration is an acceptable thing to have in our society.

My question is - is it acceptable?

Should we not look at educating children and young people - the adults of tomorrow - that mind alteration is actually not a good thing at all, and is in fact creating a false reality, and leading to death through dangerous driving, liver damage, psychosis, and all the other results of ingesting drugs.

Drugs are not good, and we should be looking at getting rid of them as acceptable in society.

Thoughts please?

[andy-hughes]

Naomi - You are quite right, my apologies.

[naomi24]

Thank you.

[nailit]

Its not the drugs...
(alcohol, tobbacco, smack)
Its the end product!

You can get 'high' off viewing porn or wining at the casino table.
(Or shopping or gambling)

Its the same dompamine release at the end.
We are all hard wired to gravitate towards pleasure and away from pain.
The way that we all do it may be different, but the intent is the same.
So easy for a fat, over eating person who gets a dopamine release from food to critasize someone who gets a dopamine release from alcohol for example.....

[nailit]

'Dopemine'

[nailit]

We are all dopemine addicts...
Put your hand up if not.

(goodlife, stand down...)

[nailit]

//Should we not look at educating children and young people - the adults of tomorrow - that mind alteration is actually not a good thing at all, and is in fact creating a false reality, and leading to death through dangerous driving, liver damage, psychosis, and all the other results of ingesting drugs//

Good luck on reversing millions of years of evolution Andy
(Seriously)
Not only mankind but animals too have always looked to experience other forms of reality.
I wont link here but there are thousands of videos of animals getting drunk/high on natural plants.

[Mamyalynne]

Your first spelling was correct Nailit.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dopamine

[nailit]

Spelling was never my strong point mamy ;-)

[andy-hughes]

Nailit - I absolutely take your point about the pull of drugs, and the way pleasure is hardwired into us.

I merely suggested the notion that we may like to consider thinking about changing our approach to recreational drugs.

That was my ìntention, a lot of people didn't see it that way!

[nailit]

//I merely suggested the notion that we may like to consider thinking about changing our approach to recreational drugs.//
The reason WHY? People take drugs in the first place needs taking into consideration.
Each and everyone of us either moves towards pleasure or away from pain. In everything we do.
People take drugs because they are pleasurable and offer an escape from misery. Its not hard to understand.
Ive yet to meet a drug user who had a happy childhood!

[nailit]

In the same vein,
Ive yet to meet a millionaire mugger.....

[andy-hughes]

nailit - // The reason WHY? People take drugs in the first place needs taking into consideration. //

It is taken into consideration, by me, in the OP.