Altered States

No.

Why would I?

I guess "drugs" could stand a definition.

I do partake of tobacco and bourbon.

Finn, Trace amounts of certain chems causing anxiety and depression can be counteracted by few mood-enhancing oc's without the slightest guilt.

To achieve an Altered State, why else?

Just saw a NatGeo show on Lemurs chomping on millipedes so they could wipe the bug's cyanide excretion on their fur, but also because it stoned them.

Nicotine and alcohol are very definately "drugs."

If all you do is smoke cigars and drink bourbon, you are still a druggy.

I don't know any lemurs.

if I meet one, I will inquire for you...

That's not even remotely funny.

Trying too hard Rocky

I think lemurs are your best bet, finny.

Shirley you don't figger a2k members are gonna answer you honestly and then watch while you cover them in condescension and bile, do you...?

actually, I think even lemurs will see you coming and shine you on.

but what do I know.

I drink the occasional alcoholic beverage. Like once or twice every week or two. No tobacco in 20 years. Only sampled pot a couple of times in the 70s. One of the samples was laced with something that had the road coming out of the sky for me as I drove. At one time I was drinking as much beer as I could find and puffing away. Glimpses of one's mortality can change things overnight.

Oh, good. That's not all I do.

Not a druggy.

Love it!

I take aspirin against headaches.
Its also a good blood thinner.





David

I drink. I stopped doing street drugs 25 years ago because the wife did not approve, stopped cigars about 6 years ago out of boredom mostly. I would like to do acid again and probably will, but otherwise I have little interest in chemical states other than being drunk. I also have some medical issues now that I suspect drugs would make worse and dont want to risk it.

Funny thing is that now that the wife has combat PTSD she is pro drug mostly, and is seriously thinking about getting into pot.

I take magnesium against cramps.

A few weeks ago, I 8 some marijuana.
Its resultant feeling was a lot like being drunk.
I have no plans to continue its use; its not interesting.





David

Every once in a while I take a Clarityn or Allegra because I have seasonal allergies. Once in a while I'll have a pint or two of Stella (they sell it in the USA now too- although it costs an arm and a leg). But I drink about as often as Edgar- maybe one or two pints every couple of weeks.
Other than that, I don't take any drugs- legal or otherwise.

I don't take legal drugs because I don't have any physical or mental health issues that require me to. I don't do illegal drugs because they are illegal and they don't seem to do anything for me. It just seems like alot of money and trouble to go to for very little payback.
I did try weed and tobacco in my teens, but smoking hurts my throat and smells and I didn't really feel any positives from either, so I didn't stick with either of those. I tried coke once in college, because I was curious and someone offered it to me, but I didn't see what all the fuss was about so that was that.

I think the main reason I never got into drugs was that I never really hung out with people who were into them and because I didn't need them. The friend who gave me the coke was also always on about me trying pills and stuff and I was always like, 'Why?!' 'What will it do to me?' and he'd say, 'It will relax you,' or something like that to which I'd answer, 'I AM relaxed!' and refuse to try it.

Here's a song that this thread reminds me of. I think this speaks to why some people like the narrator of this song use mood-altering drugs. He says he needs something else 'to help him get through - to help him get up to normal with you...' .

I think some people need help with brain chemistry and others don't - just like some people need help with blood chemistry or hormones or whatever while others don't.

Well now, that's interesting. (Not kidding)

When I had my first art studio - rented with a co-worker who was far more art educated than I ever will be but she never showed up to work in it - one of the guys who rented in the building offered me a joint (I never had my own). It was a bad day, strange day, as I'd just come upstairs after seeing my recently former boyfriend and I was all a mix of shattered and confused at his leaving me. (He's the one who turned out to be gay. He couldn't tell me then, but in retrospect I remember him trying to. We're still friends four decades later, but that took a while. This was in '71. He remains in mem as one of my best lovers, nevermind people's preconceptions.)

I smoked the joint and then felt very very funny. I had the good sense not to drive home to my own apartment a few miles away. I considered batik techniques for a few hours and then felt better and went home.
That was Arnie, the guy with the Cloud room - an empty room, with ocean view, empty except for his ceiling murals.

The co-renter went on to get a PhD in pharmacology, she is very bright. I'll always think of her well - she took me outside my formed opinions on art and everything else. But as a studio mate, pah. (smiles)

I'd say that everyone who has replied has answered honestly, Rocky. I haven't seen any "condescension and bile" from Finn.

What inescapable conclusion might one draw from that?