Psychedelics question

[Doktor Howl]

These things you say here, these are also things every addict has said. And meant. By the time you get around to needing a needle, The fear you had will be as nothing, to your need for Heroin. You will effectively remove fear from your life. She will take care of everything like that for you. For as long as you want. And then some.

Don't most heroin users start out smoking it?

[Pope Pixie Pickle]

Well, I'm not really interested in the effects of cocain, speed, heroin and meth. I know what the effects are and I don't find them really interesting. I know a lot of people who had the will not to get addicted to E and still can't stop smoking pot daily, while this is not a problem for me, as I haven't gotten high since april. After the first two times I got drunk, and after analysing the shit I was doing I just stopped. I have strong enough will to do sports every single day and I've quit doing everything I wanted to quit doing so I don't think I'll get addicted from experimenting.

My comment was intended to illustrate that addiction and willpower are totally unrelated.  People with high willpower may resist indulging in an addiction, but that doesn't mean they aren't addicted.

I still have to fight the urge to smoke pot. It happens on a regular basis and i really dont want my dosage increased on the psych meds.

For me it comes down to whether I want a case ofThe Fear^TM and to get high, or stay sober.

Mostly I choose sober.

I would personally advise Daalek to avoid mushrooms, personally. Family history is not to be fucked with. The meds I'm on mean that I can't drink too much without feeling tired, they mess with my sexual function and can make you gain weight and give a slight predisposition to diabetes. If I am diagnosed with Schizophrenia, statistically that custs 10 years off of life expectancy.

Oh and the retrovirus article was very interesting, I forget who posted that.

BB is on a roll today.  

THIS.

[BabylonHoruv]

These things you say here, these are also things every addict has said. And meant. By the time you get around to needing a needle, The fear you had will be as nothing, to your need for Heroin. You will effectively remove fear from your life. She will take care of everything like that for you. For as long as you want. And then some.

Don't most heroin users start out smoking it?

Some do.  There's a lot that start with the needle though.  Heroin that is pure enough to be worth smoking is hard to find.

[BadBeast]

These things you say here, these are also things every addict has said. And meant. By the time you get around to needing a needle, The fear you had will be as nothing, to your need for Heroin. You will effectively remove fear from your life. She will take care of everything like that for you. For as long as you want. And then some.

Don't most heroin users start out smoking it?

They do. Then as their tolerance for the Drug grows, they realise that if they were to shoot it up instead, their habit costs (in cash) will fall by perhaps 80%. But it can take years to get to that point.

[BadBeast]

These things you say here, these are also things every addict has said. And meant. By the time you get around to needing a needle, The fear you had will be as nothing, to your need for Heroin. You will effectively remove fear from your life. She will take care of everything like that for you. For as long as you want. And then some.

Don't most heroin users start out smoking it?

Some do.  There's a lot that start with the needle though.  Heroin that is pure enough to be worth smoking is hard to find.

The Brown Heroin that comes from Afghanistan, is processed with the smoker in mind. People are a lot less afraid of a delivery system like a slice of tinfoil, and a lungful of smoke.

The Heroin that used to come from the Golden Triangle was not a smoker. It was a shooter. Pharmaceutical Heroin is also a shooter. Most addicts, if given the choice between Brown, or pure Pharmaceutical Heroin, will go for the Brown.

[Kai]

Badbeast, you are writing some damn good shit in here.

[Apikoros II]

I just read through 5+ pages of posts, so first let me say thanks for reposting the article about the retrovirus. I haven't read it (my next step but for shutting down the PC and going home) but my gut feel is that it won't cover my theory about MS. Right now, there are 4 MS classifications: Benign, Relapsing Remitting (what I have), Secondary Progressive and Progressive. I personally feel there are many more types, brought about by different things who symptomatically, and the way we test for MS, show up as such. The effects are the same but the causes are different, hence MS is probably Dozens or hundreds of things, but all look like MS in symptoms. I know I had a "maybe" episode in Winter 2000, then got the most severe one I ever had in Jan 2001... which was 3 months after I survived 9/11. (yes, it was a rough year). No family history, no other factors... How can I not believe in connections...
Anyway, second point no advice, one way or the other can truly influence a person in the ingestion of chemicals, IMNSHO. I feel OP has already made the choice and needs validation. (This is not a negative comment, so please don't read it as such)
Third, I think it was Dr. Vertigo with the really excellent advice about how to prepare for a trip etc.... Good stuff! For me, I never did drugs to "get off" I always did it for growth purposes... Ever since reading The Electric Kool Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe, I had wanted to drop Acid. For me, hallucinogens were always about growth and never about getting off. I always felt that is why I never had a bad trip. When I realized that my pot smoking habit had become exactly that, a habit, and not a way to alter consciousness for growth, I stopped.
My final point is a quote from Jerry Garcia: (Shit, I can't find the exact quote BUT it goes something like) The first time you do acid you open the door. It's always open after that

Some great quotes found while looking for the exact quote: http://alternativereel.com/includes/top-ten/display_review.php?id=00095

PS: Yes, I am still a crunchy, old style hippie trapped In a  35 year old body

[BadBeast]

Badbeast, you are writing some damn good shit in here.

Thanks very much. Perhaps it might make up for some of the drivel I've posted in the past. 

[BadBeast]

My final point is a quote from Jerry Garcia: (Shit, I can't find the exact quote BUT it goes something like) The first time you do acid you open the door. It's always open after that

Some great quotes found while looking for the exact quote: http://alternativereel.com/includes/top-ten/display_review.php?id=00095

PS: Yes, I am still a crunchy, old style hippie trapped In a  35 year old body

True enough, but there are lots of doors. My first trip, I never even realised there was a door, until the fucker slammed shut behind me! 

[Lies]

Damn, a drug thread that I didn't get to comment on early.

Oh well.

I think most things that have to be said have been said.

I just want to say, I *loved* doing drugs, I've had a fucking *AWESOME* time on drugs... but I've stopped doing them now. (regularly)

And I was doing them since I was 12-13ish, my memory is fine (better then most peoples), I don't suffer from schizophrenia, I think my life *has* improved due to my drug use, and I have a pretty good life and I don't consider myself addicted to anything.

I'm most likely the exception to the rule though, and I don't recommend drugs to everyone, but they've always worked for me, so fuck all you assholes who don't know how to be responsible in regards to the things you put into your body.

Why did I stop? Because there really is such a thing as *too much* of a good time. And well, after you've done DMT and watched reality literally fall apart and get sent into another dimension where nothing but pure energy exists, that's really fucking hard to top.

I'm pretty content these days being mostly sober, but I am partial to the odd drink and a jay whenever I'm with my friends, but I don't go hunting for anything anymore, and I'm happy.

[Kai]

Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd, there goes the thread.

[Lies]

Hey, we talked about all the horribleness of drugs, I think it's only fair to say, my truth, that I had a great time on drugs, sorry if this spoils anything.

[Pope Pixie Pickle]

Hey, we talked about all the horribleness of drugs, I think it's only fair to say, my truth, that I had a great time on drugs, sorry if this spoils anything.

The OP was asking about a possible genetic flaw in his family, Lys, and this can be a very serious subject for someone that doesnt want to end up nuts.

Read the topic properly before being an irresponsible fuck.

This isnt a general debate about drugs. This is a serious personal question, you douchebag.

[AFK]

Indeed.  It's one thing when we are talking philosophically and politically about drugs and drug policy.  But in this instance, we're dealing with a real person, with a family history of mental illness, contemplating doing drugs that have shown to have some links to mental illnesses such as schizophrenia.  So congrats to you Lys, that you've survived mostly intact, so far, from your drug use.  But please think about the example you could possibly be setting for others before you open your big mouth. 

[Apikoros II]

While I agree with you Rainy Day Pixie that this is a serious question, I do feel that "having a good time" does play into the OPs question.... A lot of the above answers have been about the fundamental question of risk vs. reward. I have stated above, to me drugs are not about having a good time but about exploration (sorry Dok Howl, we'll need to agree to disagree), but if getting off plays into the question, then comments that drugs are fun do help answer the OP. I agree, I have always had a good time... But as Yogi Berra said, "Wherever you go, there you are" and that applies to tripping...