Okay, really, if there weren’t any benefits, would anyone actually choose to do drugs? They may be short-lived and with major side effects, but the fact remains: Drugs have their benefits. Whether we’re talking about alcohol, stimulants, hallucinogens, or other mind-altering substances, those who take advantage of what they offer stand to gain at least a few things through their choices to partake.
Popularity with Other Substance Abusers
This is a huge one! Often others who drink and take drugs have trouble finding and keeping jobs, relationships, and other mainstays of what some consider necessary aspects for a good “quality of life,” but let’s face it: Jobs and relationships take work, and if you’re deep in the middle of substance abuse, you’re really not interested in making a job or relationship work out, anyway. In addition, you won’t have to feel bad about your lack of relationship skills or achievement, because you’ll be surrounded by people who have just as little going for them in life. Really, these are the ideal people to have cheering you on, because they won’t make you feel bad about your choices.
Sure, those other people who are connected with other healthy individuals in meaningful relationships are moving toward independence and finding greater purpose in life than just the next drink or the next high, but who needs that kind of pressure?! Being around other drug-dependent people will certainly make you feel like less of a loser.
Potential for Incarceration
Now, this might seem like a bad thing, but if you don’t want to have to listen to your parents anymore or risk having to actually lift a finger to make yourself a sandwich, this might become attractive to you! What’s more, you’ll get to spend more time with the kind of people with whom you’ve achieved some measure of acceptance.
When and if you get out, you might feel like you’re a bit behind in life (financially, academically, socially), but as long as you go back to your old crew, you’re destined to find acceptance among others with similarly underdeveloped individuals, as discussed above. What’s more, once you’ve gotten back with your previous companions, you’ll have increased likelihood of returning to your drug and alcohol habits and getting to go back to prison, where you’ll again be freed from responsibility.
Parental Attention & Frustration
If your other antics have been unsuccessful in securing your parents’ attention, certainly substance abuse will have them interested in your life. Maybe they could ignore some of your other attempts at letting them know you’re miserable, but now? They’ll be sure to take notice of you. They’ll also be frustrated, even depressed. Finally, they’ll get to experience what you’ve been feeling about life. Misery loves company, and you’re sure to make others in your home just as miserable as you are.
Since these benefits of substance abuse are so alluring, any attempts at deterring you will seem so shallow that they’re not even worth considering. Unless you actually want to experience over-rated things like happiness, success, relationships, and peace.
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