Straight-Edge
auntblabby
Veteran
Joined: 12 Feb 2010
Gender: Male
Posts: 114,583
Location: the island of defective toy santas
I guess the thing which keeps me away from straight edge and its ilk is that I am clausterphobic and am afraid of being stuck into any kind of straightjacket, including moral straightjackets.
yes, I understand that for some, the heavy weighted blanket of a straightjacket can be a comfort, a source of certainty in an uncertain world.
I never used any substance, alcohol or otherwise, until I went to college.
Never thought of myself as straight edge, just had some stupid preconceptions & kind of avoid situations where things like that were present.
Turned out I was wrong, not the first time, and not the last I'm sure.
Now it's weird for me to hear from people who've never really tired anything preach about the evils of drugs & alcohol.
Like Chris Rock's character in that movie once said "How can you make drug policy if you've never smoked the chronic?"
Some people do fine without substances.
I was miserable, didn't sleep regularly, was harsh with people in conversations, and had very few friends.
Worse, people constantly accused me of being on drugs and called me a liar when I said I was stone cold sober.
Discovering marijuana and with it the ability to sleep regularly, be generally nicer & more relaxed, and to make true, long-term friendships changed my life.
When I'm stoned almost no one ever accuses me of being on drugs.
Go figure.
Yes, I've tried the perscription meds for my issues.
Harsh, overkill, nasty side effects, worse withdrawls when quitting.
Still, I suppose it'd be great to be one of those people with boundless energy who exercises daily, takes supplements, works out, can afford to eat only the healthiest organic food, etc.
Not everyone is cut out for that lifestyle though, all clean & sober & high on life.
I'm certainly not.