Why do you do it?

I've never really touched alcohol, it cancels out my meds. I've gotten into a lot of problems from abusing drugs, but I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder years before I got into drugs. I started abusing drugs when I was 15, not because it was cool, I never did it socially. I didn't want to be around people or my own friends at time. I've always lacked balance. I guess at times I felt even with drugs. If people are like me, I guess they use drugs to cope with or self-medicate.

Most people I know started it because of peer pressure

and curiosity. They continued to be cool, because it

felt good (at least some of the time; coming down off

some dope and hangovers is not fun), or because they

didn't know how to stop.

Most I know use now, it's a mini-vacation, a break from

pain, monotony, boredom, and every day life.

I don't do either

Some people do it b/c they think it's fun or cool

Others do it b/c they want to try it

There's also peer pressure and the trials and tribulations life brings.....People may also feel alone and unloved, but that drug or drink makes them feel like they are on top of the world....as if they have no cares or worries...that is all temporary

There's many reasons why people do it

I dont do these things, but i am feeling very pressured to start drinking, and that is ONLY for one reason- to fit in !!!

I imaging many people do it for the same reason, no matter what they say, they may just be trying to fit in to the social group they are most exposed to.

Drinking is is one of the things society considers a norm, and i find it hard to adjust when i cant also get drunk and talk DRUNK BULL$HIT, like they do.

I think its a combination of both. Drugs and alcohol make you lose inhibitions, with no inhibition you tend to have way more fun, also with all the drama we face today, it they also serve as a temporary relief to the stresses of life, they make your mind numb for awhile so you don't think about your issues.

I use the herb because it lets me feel my body when I stretch; which allows me to work out all the little kinks in my old body, plus it keeps me from going off and hurting some of the people i encounter.That's the honest to God truth.

Some people have mental illnesses and they don't know how to deal with it so when they try something like that and it makes them feel better ,they then turn to it when ever they feel bad.I'm not saying everyone do that with a mental illness just some.

For Fun, no question.

Too much fun can eventually lead to Life Sucks, tho.

Moderation is the key.

I drink socially. I like wine, beer and mixed drinks. I like the taste. I drink in moderation, most of the time, but from the time to time I do go overboard. I used to drink all the time. I came from a small town where that was all we had to do. We were bored, and it was like a right of passage to buy alcohol. Yes we would go into the Liqueur store bold as brass and try to buy alcohol, and yes they sold it to us with a wink and a smile. It was accepted as a part of our social rebellion. I guess I did it at the time for fun. We thought it was really cool way to get back at what we called our Jailers. We did it every Fri/Sat/Sun. We used to go to the Lake on Sun, and go boating, skiing, jet-sking etc, all of this entailed alcohol of course. Every prom and party we had involved alcohol. We had parties every weekend from the time I started High school until graduation. Not smart of course but we you couldn't have told us a thing. At the time my friends did so I did it, I was not peer pressured into it, I had my own mind, and grew up in a culture of drinking. Wedding, parties, you name it, anything in our community involved alcohol at the event. Even my Polish grandparents made their own wine. So it was socially acceptable to drink, even underage, as long as you did not make a fool of yourself, and kept it under wrap so to speak. This attitude of course doesn't work as you have to have the ability to have discretion, and be able to moderate yourself and what teenager can do that. Well I decided long ago to drink only in moderation, I do it now because I like it. Yes it does loosen the inhibitions but I have to say I came to realization that I can take it or leave it. A glass now and then is fine, and when I go out drinks in moderation. Sometimes I do tye one on, but that is rare. I drank heavily through college, until I got pulled over for drinking and driving, I got off. I was really intoxicated, my best friend left me at a bar with her car she was the designated driver, she left me for a guy. Not good. I drove home, as I was too drunk to know any better. I was too drunk to even know I was being pulled over, they called me in as a flight risk. I finally snapped out of it and pulled over. They let me go, they knew my parents, and as long as they came to get me they wouldn't give me a ticket or take me in. That was an epiphany. I haven't gotten behind the wheel after drinking since. So drinking is fine if you can find a way to moderate yourself, and again I do it as a way to unwind sometimes, for pleasure and I like the buzz. But I have enough sense to know that I need to do this safely.

I only smoke marajuana sporadically now.

I don't drink (never been drunk actually..) and I don't smoke cigarettes, etc.

I do pot because it calms me down and I still act myself, etc..

I don't do it to get high all the time either, just to relax my mind sometimes.