@existential potential,
I like your analogy of philosophy as a drug. Although I see it in more of a positive light.
I think very visually, so I'll try to explain it best I can:
Picture yourself as a ball and then picture a new philosophy or concept as covering this ball, becoming the new outer layer. Some choose to not consider the idea at all, others let it cover themselves completely. If the ball underneath recognizes flaw, it will slowly break through cracks of the outer layer, destroying them while at the same time leaving the truth. At the end of the process, the person is left with this new idea that has synchronized to their thoughts while dismissing the flaw in the concept. This is why it feels as if you lose yourself for awhile because when first considering the idea, it has covered you completely and the process of which to break through it and consider the idea fully takes awhile depending on how thick the idea has covered you.
For me, I always try to fully experience a persons perspective first before I even consider my own opinions because I know given time, myself will pull through. And in doing so, any possible truths weren't rejected that may have been repelled at the beginning.
So philosophy can overtake you for awhile, but from this experience can help to better understand yourself while adding on any new ideas, for most philosophies do have flaws which can be recognized given time. But, imo, the worst thing to do is to completely reject an idea before first giving it a chance.
Also I don't know about everyone else, but sometimes I find it ridiculous there is an actual label for this type of thinking. Why do we philosophize? Because, It's the way we think! It is a way of life. THAT'S WHY!
